Miraculously Mine
by VerifiedTreachery
Summary: Marinette and Adrien have been friends since school. Things still haven't progressed past friend territory much to Marinette's dismay. However, as Ladybug she's begun to see Cat Noir differently. Could she leave behind her feelings for Adrien to pursue something with Cat Noir instead?
1. Chapter 1

Marinette stood by her open window and stared out into the night. It was almost time for her nightly patrol with Cat Noir. She fought it for a long time, but she had to admit they made a great team. It had been a few years now that they'd been working alongside one another, and he'd grown on her. At first, she found him annoying and problematic, but slowly over time he'd wormed his way in and found a place in her heart. She could now say to herself that patrolling wouldn't be the same without him. She'd never tell him that, though. It would go straight to his head and he'd never let her live it down. Marinette snuck through her window dressed as her alter ego Ladybug, and made her way through the bushes that lined her home. She had no idea why she still snuck around, she lived alone after all, but there was something nostalgic about climbing through her open window to head out on patrol. Picking her way through dark alleys, Marinette halted as she reached their usual meeting spot. As usual, he was late. She tapped her foot impatiently on the ground. The sound was the only noise to be heard in the dark corridor of the alley.

"Ladybug, miss me?" She had to stifle a scream as he snuck up on her. She'd have thought she'd be used to his feline ways by now, but he never failed to catch her off guard. Sneaking up on her had clearly become his favorite game.

"Like I miss the bubonic plague," she cracked back in annoyance. Truthfully, she missed his lame jokes and easy air in her daily life. Things would happen to her sometimes, and she couldn't wait until she could tell him all about it.

"Ah, you wound me, my lady." He put a hand to his heart as if she'd shattered it into pieces. Marinette rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip.

"Are you ready to patrol or should we stand here talking?" He stretched his arms over his head, and she watched as his pitch black suit moved along with his body. His strong, muscular arms flexed under the tight fabric and she could just make out the rising swell of his abs. Why was she even looking? He was a goofball and nothing more than her patrol partner.

"Let's go Ms. Grumpy Pants." He flashed her a killer smile and started strolling towards the end of the alley. She moved to catch up with him, still lost in her thoughts. She had slowly begun to take notice of him lately, and it drove her crazy. Especially because her affection lie elsewhere. After years of pining after Adrien, Marinette still couldn't bring herself to tell him how she felt about him. What began as a schoolgirl crush had developed into some pretty serious feelings. Her best friend, Alya, tried to be supportive and give her the confidence she needed to tell him, but once she found herself face to face with him the words just wouldn't come. "Is there something on your mind?" She looked up and saw Cat Noir raise an eyebrow. He always saw right through her.

"No, nothing important." She offered nothing else, and she saw him reach up and scratch his head in confusion.

"You just seem really distracted tonight. Are you sure nothing's going on?" He tiptoed around her trying to brighten her mood, but she still had a surly look on her face. Even frowning, she was beautiful. He wanted nothing more than to know who she was in her daily life. What she did and who she knew. What she did for a living. He was teetering on obsessed with her, and he knew he probably didn't hide it very well. He didn't care that he didn't know her true identity, he was still falling in love with her. Had started to fall in love with her since the day he met her all those years ago.

"I promise, I'm fine. Let's just patrol and go home. I'm feeling kind of tired." She knew she was being a downer right now, but thinking about how much time she'd wasted not telling Adrien how she felt about him always depressed her. She'd had a thing for him since school, and now that they were adults, her attraction had grown stronger. He was everything she could possibly want in another person, and she saw the world in his pure green eyes. They walked along the street in silence, and she appreciated that Cat Noir knew her well enough by now to know when she needed some quiet space. At times, not even Alya knew her that well and they'd been best friends for years.

"Stop it, let me go!" Marinette and Cat looked at one another and rushed into a passing alley where the screaming was coming from. They saw a young woman being pinned against the wall by a hulking man as he fumbled with the button of her pants.

"Now, now, I believe the lady said to stop." Cat Noir tapped the man on the back of the head, and the man spun around to face him. Marinette rushed to the woman and helped her to her feet, leading her to the opening of the alley. The woman thanked her before running off.

"You guys? Seriously?" He laughed deep in his belly and rolled his neck. It was true that there probably wasn't a single person in Paris who didn't know them by now. They'd been major heroes over the years, and it was a wonder why this man wasn't running for his life by now if he knew their track record. He lunged at Cat Noir only to find Cat standing behind him within seconds.

"You're going to have to be faster than that," Cat laughed, dodging punches. Marinette stood off to the side watching him when she should have been helping him. She couldn't help herself. Seeing him so carefree and having fun on patrol was beginning to pull her from her bad mood. She found herself cracking a smile, and felt a flood of affection wash over her. There were times when she wondered if she could forget Adrien to share something with Cat. She knew he had a thing for her. He wasn't very secretive about it. She'd shared a lot with him in all this time, and she had to admit that he wasn't unpleasant. He was kind and cheerful, and he never failed to liven things up. True, he could be a little intense at times, but it was part of his charm. She wanted to know who he truly was, but never went through with the big reveal because it felt like a nice secret between them. Something that might disappear if they knew each other's true identities.

"Need any help," she finally asked. He glanced over at her with a gleam in his bright green eyes. She knew he was having fun, playing with his prey as if he were an actual cat.

"I think I can handle this one." She watched as he went in for the kill and knocked the man out in one swift movement just as the man lunged at him. Cat dusted his hands off and looked down at the large man three times his size lying in a heap on the ground. "Did you see that? He actually thought he had a chance."

Adrien looked at Ladybug and smiled. He saw a smirk on her face and knew that whatever had been bothering her earlier was pushed aside for the moment. He pounced on the opportunity and scooped her up in his arms, spinning around.

"Put me down, Cat," she squealed, but laughed. God, he loved the sound of her laughter. It was crystalline and clear, like beautifully carved glass. He stood her back up on her feet, and she clutched at his shoulders as she struggled to stand upright after being spun around in circles. He suppressed a shiver he felt coming at the feeling of her hands on him. Even as innocent as the touch was, he wanted more than anything for her to touch him with intention.

"Let's go, little ladybug." He hooked his arm through hers and they left the alley. They spent another hour patrolling before deciding to call it a night. He turned towards her and looked her in her pale eyes. "Until tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow." Marinette watched as he jumped up onto an awning and disappeared behind a building. He moved so fluidly, as if he weren't a human being at all. She began the walk back towards her own home, yawning. She hadn't lied about being tired. She didn't sleep much the night before. After patrol she'd lay there wide awake and unable to sleep. Thoughts of Adrien had kept her up as they usually did. It was time to admit that she had insomnia. Insomnia brought on by a pining heart. She knew she needed to get some sleep because Adrien would be coming over in the morning for coffee and donuts like he did every Sunday morning. It was their little ritual that she cherished above all else. She often dreamed about sharing a morning with him after a long night of lovemaking. Not that it would ever happen, but a girl could dream.

Marinette made it back home and crawled in through the open window. She put on her pajamas and slipped into bed thinking about her warring feelings between Adrien and Cat. There were things about them both that she loved and things she disliked. It wasn't until recently that she'd started seeing Cat differently, though. She'd been yearning for Adrien for most of her formative years on into adulthood. But, who knew her better? Who could truly make her happy? She sighed as she rolled over onto her side in bed and stared at the wall. It was going to be another long night of her brain picking itself apart if she didn't do something about it. She sat up and opened her bedside table. Rummaging around, she found the sleep aids she'd bought weeks ago and had yet to try. Tonight she needed it. She felt drained and void of feeling from the pure exhaustion. She punched out a pill and swallowed it before lying back down onto her pillow. Sleep would come tonight, even if it was medication-induced. She looked at the ceiling of her bedroom and counted down from one hundred until she finally fell asleep at forty-three.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, what did you do last night," Adrien asked, sitting down at the kitchen table with his cup of coffee.

"Nothing much. I mostly got caught up on work and channel surfed." Marinette felt terrible every time she lied to her friends about what she did at night. There were so many times she turned down invitations to go out and have some fun because she felt like she had a duty to Paris. In reality, no one was holding a gun to her head and forcing her to patrol every night, but she always looked forward to patrol if she was being honest. It felt like a better use of her time than going out partying. "What about you?"

"Uh, I- I did the same mostly. Nothing of any interest." The table fell quiet for a moment before Marinette changed the subject.

"Anything planned for today?" She was always on guard, always waiting for Hawk Moth to do something evil as he usually did. So far she'd managed many excuses to break away from her friends when he struck the city with one of his akumas, but she knew eventually she'd run out of excuses and her friends would get fed up with her always running off.

"Well, it's the weekend so I have a whole lot of nothing planned. After I leave here I have some shopping to do then I'll just go home. Maybe we can see if Alya and Nino want to hang out later?" Marinette thought that was a great idea. Adult life had been taking its toll on them all and it was near impossible for them all to get together.

"Sounds great. It'll just have to be before ten." Ten was when she patrolled with Cat Noir, and she couldn't miss it. Well, she probably could, but she wouldn't. She needed that time, and she was slowly beginning to feel like Cat was keeping her sanity intact. He was the only person who understood what it was like to live a double life. Even if she didn't know who he truly was, she knew he understood that it was hard being a real person and having this alter ego along with it. It was beyond exhausting.

"Oh yeah? What happens at ten," Adrien asked as he picked up a pastry and took a big bite. Marinette chuckled nervously and took a big gulp of her scalding coffee, immediately regretting it.

"I just have a lot to do tomorrow, and I need to get to bed early." Adrien nodded seeming to understand what she meant, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Of all her friends, Adrien was the most understanding when she needed to get away when they were all hanging out. He never nagged her about it the way Alya did.

"So do I. I probably need to leave before ten as well. I'm sure Alya and Nino will be cool with hanging out earlier." He flashed her a smile and bit into the rest of his pastry. The morning passed quickly as they talked about everything from work to their current hobbies. By the time Adrien left, Marinette was feeling tired. She loved these mornings she shared with him, but it was getting exhausting pretending to be just his friend when she wanted so much more. He never seemed to show any signs of wanting more than friendship, though, and she wondered if he perhaps had feelings for someone else. Probably. As long as it wasn't that wretched Chloe. She had stuck around after school after years of bragging that she'd be long gone by the time school was over. Marinette had thought it was hilarious at first, but she still stuck to Adrien like glue. Marinette was just lying down on her bed for a nap when she heard a scream come from outside. She threw open her window and looked around before spotting a crowd of people pointing and screaming at something.

"It must be time for Ladybug. Tikki, spots on." Marinette transformed into Ladybug within seconds and leapt from her window, running in the direction of the frightened people. She crept up behind a statue in the park and peeked around it. There stood a tall man dressed in a villain suit. Clearly Hawk Moth was to blame for this.

"Waiting for me, darling?" Ladybug jumped and looked over her shoulder to see Cat Noir standing behind her with his arms crossed in front of him. He looked cocky and confident as ever.

"More like scouting out the new villain. I think the akuma is in his glasses." They both sidled up to the statue and looked around it. The villain was giving a speech to the people he was holding captive in the park center. He had them shackled to benches.

"You will be my new slaves in this new world. Re-Spectacle will show you all what it means to be bullied and made fun of!"

"It seems like he must be a nerd in real life," Cat joked. Ladybug rolled her eyes and leapt out from behind the statue.

"Re-Spectacle, let these people go. They've done nothing to deserve this." She edged closer little by little.

"Ladybug! How nice of you to join us. You'll be next." He lunged at her and she rolled off to the side, narrowly avoiding his grasp. Cat rushed up behind him and kicked him in the back, sending his sprawling across the ground. "And Cat Noir! How lucky I am to have two new powerful slaves to add to my current quota. You'll both regret fighting me."

"Somehow I truly doubt that," Cat said as he went to stand by Ladybug. He caught a whiff of her scent. Strawberries and laundry detergent. It was intoxicating and it took everything in his power to focus on the villain at hand. Re-Spectacle ran towards them and tackled Cat to the ground. Ladybug charged at them and knocked Re-Spectacle off Cat. She swiped at his glasses, but he was too quick and rolled away from her. He stood up and raised his arms. Suddenly all the people chained to the benches began walking forward as if in a trance. They reached out with their shackled arms and began pulling at Ladybug.

"Cat, help!" He rushed over and pulled her away, nearly dragging the chained up people along with them. As soon as he pulled her away a bench hurtled through the air and landed atop him, pinning him to the ground.

"I've got you now, Cat Noir." Re-Spectacle laughed and began making his way over to Cat.

"Cataclysm," Cat called out and slashed the heavy bench in half. He scrambled to his feet just in time to dodge Re-Spectacle. Ladybug pulled out her yoyo, and swung it around in the air.

"Lucky charm," she said, and a shape began to take form. In her hands rested a rolling pin. "What am I supposed to do with this?" A frown creased her forehead and she held the heavy rolling pin in her hands thinking. After a moment she formulated a plan and began to see it through. She took the opportunity to sneak up on Re-Spectacle while he was busy closing in on Cat Noir. She took the rolling pin and rolled it along the ground as fast as she could. It caught Re-Spectacle's feet and he began fumbling around trying to gain his footing. Ladybug swung her yoyo around and around until it wrapped around Re-Spectacle and trapped his arms. Cat eased over with the true grace of a cat and pulled the glasses from Re-Spectacle's face before dropping them on the ground and crushing them beneath his feet. Ladybug caught the butterfly in her locket and freed it from evil, and soon the man who had become Re-Spectacle returned to normal. Once the people were all freed from their chains, Ladybug walked over to Cat Noir and patted him on the back.

"This is nice and all, but I have to go before my secret identity gets out." He winked in her direction and took off. She chuckled and realized she also needed to leave public before her own identity was revealed. Ladybug ran inside a public library and headed for the bathroom. Checking to make sure no one was around, she shirked the Ladybug suit and headed out of the bathroom. Now she wished she would have brought her library books along so she could have returned them. Marinette began walking home and once she returned she saw she had three missed calls from Alya. She dialed her number and Alya answered on the second ring.

"Marinette, where have you been? I was starting to think you were avoiding me!"

"Not avoiding you, I was just taking a nap. What's up?" The lying was starting to get out of hand, but no one, not even her friends could know that she was Ladybug.

"So, Adrien sent both Nino and me a message asking if we could all hang out today. I think it's a great idea. It's been forever since we've all gotten together." Marinette could hear the excitement in Alya's voice and found herself smiling.

"Definitely. Where should we meet?" Marinette hoped they could just meet at Alya's house. Not only was her own place too small, but if she needed to be gone by ten it would be much easier to leave than kick everyone out.

"Let's just meet at my place around six?" She breathed a sigh of relief and confirmed that she'd be there at six on the dot. Which really meant she'd be there fifteen minutes late as was Marinette's way. Once she was off the phone she decided she truly did need that nap after all. She'd had a busy morning and tonight was going to be just a busy. She truly hoped that patrol would be uneventful and that hanging out with her friends would be fun and lighthearted.

Marinette woke up from her nap to see that it was five forty-five and she jumped out of bed. She'd been napping for hours. She rushed around to get dressed and make herself presentable, and flew out the door. By the time she made it to Alya's doorstep it was six twenty. She knew she'd be late. As usual. She knocked and Alya let her in.

"About time you showed up, girl." She didn't see any annoyance in her friend's face, so she moved past her into the house. She could hear Adrien and Nino laughing from the living room, so the girls made their way there. "Marinette's here!"

"Marinette, grab a drink. You need to get caught up," Nino insisted. She knew she needed to keep a clear head for tonight's patrol, so she would sip her drink slowly. She grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed back into the living room, sinking down onto a pillow on the floor.

"So, what's everyone been up to lately," Alya asked. Marinette and Adrien immediately scrambled their brains trying to think of something to say other than, 'oh you know, I'm a superhero so I've been kicking villain ass."

"I've been working and chilling, dude," Nino answered.

"I've been doing about the same," Adrien said as he sipped his drink. Everyone looked expectantly at Marinette.

"I've been working on some new ideas that I'm presenting at work on Monday. But other than that, I've just been relaxing this weekend." She covered her ass as much as she could, but the guilt still ate away at her. Would her friends be accepting if they knew? Would they be able to keep the secret? Either way, there was no way she could tell them.

"Well I, for one, have had a super exciting weekend. I had an anonymous email come in from someone who said they could get me the identity of Ladybug, and I think I've just about figured out who Cat Noir is on my own. I'm narrowing down possibilities, but I feel pretty confident," Alya proudly determined. Marinette felt anxiety grip her. It had been years but Alya had never given up trying to find out Ladybug's true identity. She wished she'd move on to something else because it was already hard enough lying to her.

The night wore on with the friends playing board games and talking, and Alya and Nino were mostly drunk by the time nine o'clock hit. Neither Marinette nor Adrien had had much to drink. Marinette found it odd that Adrien hadn't let loose after he'd complained about how hard work had been the previous week. Marinette walked home and opened her door. It was less than an hour before she had to meet Cat, so she decided to find a quick snack and settle down in front of the tv until it was time to go. Once she finished and saw that it was time, she transformed into Ladybug, and hopped from her window onto the ground below. She strolled into the alley and waited for Cat Noir to show up. She was usually the late one, so it shouldn't bug her that he was always late. All the same, she felt like he didn't take it as seriously as she did. She was always late for things in her personal life, but this was the one time she was on time. She didn't know if maybe it had a little to do with her excitement of seeing him again. Her feelings had been warring between Adrien and Cat for weeks now, and it was starting to chip away at her. She needed to make a decision and tell whoever she chose exactly how she felt. She'd spent years of her life pining after someone. It was time to grow up and go after what she wanted. At least with Cat she knew that he had a thing for her as well. He'd never been very secretive about it. She had no idea how Adrien felt truly, but it was more likely that he wasn't interested in anything more than friendship. She really didn't want to ruin her friendship with one of her best friends.

"Hey there, my lady. I'm sure you've missed me in the few hours we've been apart." Cat leapt down from a dumpster and landed at Ladybug's feet.

"I've missed you like I'd miss a headful of lice." It had become a sort of game for them. He's ask if she missed him, and she'd insult him. It was all in good fun.

"Ah, but I think you did miss me." This was taking a different turn than usual. Cat was feeling more brazen than usual. Maybe it was from the beers he'd had earlier, but he couldn't hide that he felt something for this beautiful woman before him. She was funny and insanely smart. He was always left feeling in awe of her talents and wondered if they carried over into her everyday life. He also couldn't stop himself from wondering what she'd be like in bed. He prowled closer to her and saw her pale eyes light up.

"You think so, huh?" He nodded, but said nothing as he stopped inches from her face. He looked down at her. He was a full head taller than her, and she looked so small and helpless. He knew better, though. She could probably kick his ass if she really wanted to. He put his hand under her chin and lifted it so she was looking right into his eyes. He ran his gloved thumb along her soft, full lips.

"I think you missed me a lot," he said as he dipped his head down a hairs width from pressing his lips against hers. He could feel her tremble, and he smiled. This was how to win her affection. He'd tease her relentlessly until she caved.

"I- I, um." Ladybug tried to speak, but no words would come out. Cat was dangerously close. So close that she could see the gold flecks in his bright green eyes. Could see the slight chap to his lips. They suddenly looked so kissable, and it shocked her how much she wanted it. It had been a long time since she'd kissed someone. She missed the feel of someone else's body pressed against hers, missed the innocent intimacy. His lips barely grazed hers before he pulled away.

"Ready to patrol?" He was back to his happy-go-lucky self, and if it weren't for the tingling in her lips she could almost believe that it hadn't happened. What exactly did happen? Were they really about to kiss?

"Um, s-sure." Ladybug followed behind him down the alleyway so unsure of where they stood. She always knew that he had a thing for her, but he'd never acted on it before. This was getting very close to turning into something, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it. She still hadn't decided between Cat or Adrien yet. Tonight proved one thing to her: she'd have to choose, and she'd have to choose soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Monday morning had come and Marinette sat at work thumbing through some papers. She worked at a local magazine writing columns on fashion. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to be doing, but it was a stepping stone from her point of view. She sighed and looked down into her cup of coffee. It was only ten o'clock and she was already mentally taxed.

"Marinette, I need that article by the end of the day." Marinette groaned at her boss' demand. She was only halfway through writing the article. Needless to say, she had a mountain of work to finish. She began working diligently through the day, not taking coffee breaks, and finished up the article. It was nearly time to go, so she emailed the article to her boss, and stood up to stretch. Her back ached from sitting still for so long. She gathered up her bag and threw her coffee cup in the trash. She had yet to make any friends at work so she just slipped out without saying goodbye to anyone. She had worked there for five months now, and she hadn't met a single friendly person. They all seemed like their work sucked the life out of them, and she worried she'd become one of them if she wasn't careful.

She trudged home as the sun was setting. Her walk from work lasted about twenty minutes, and she felt like she always needed the walk after sitting behind a desk all day. She pulled her bag closer to her in the cool October chill and began walking faster so she'd make it home before the sun completely dipped below the horizon. Once home, she slipped into some comfortable clothes and crashed on the couch. She felt mentally burnt out, but she knew she needed to recharge because in a few hours, her and Cat Noir would be going on patrol again. He had acted so strangely the night before. No, it hadn't been a surprise that he'd liked her. He had been so obvious about it when they were younger. But, as time wore on, he seemed to back off some and she thought that maybe he was losing interest. Last night changed that, though. He had seemed more than interested, and she couldn't deny the flames that had licked at her belly when he'd almost kissed her. Why didn't he kiss her? She thought that she probably would have returned the kiss with fervor if he had. Marinette sighed and switched on the tv. She would get caught up on some shows and take her mind off it for the time being. Who knew how things would go once she met up with him again tonight. Her stomach flipped at the idea of seeing him again, and it took everything in her power to concentrate on the tv before her.

"Tikki, spots on." It was time for patrol and she was feeling nervous. Would he try something tonight, or would he go back to being his usual aloof self? She didn't have time to think about it as she slipped from her window and headed towards their usual meeting place. When she got there she was surprised to see him already there. He was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He was tall and thin, but years of crime fighting had built muscle on his arms and legs. The light from a nearby lamppost shrouded his head making his blonde hair look like a halo. He was anything but angelic.

"About time you showed up," he said as she approached. Ladybug rolled her eyes and drew closer.

"I don't want to hear it. You're the one who's always late." He laughed in his carefree way, and ran a gloved hand through his hair. She wondered if he ever took anything seriously.

"Tell me, little ladybug, how much did you miss me this time?" His green eyes plunged into hers and she felt weak in the knees.

"I missed you as much as…as…" She couldn't think with his penetrating stare boring a hole right through her. She was at a loss for words.

"Oh no, have you run out of insults already?" He was smiling which made it even harder for her to formulate a sentence. He had a damn good smile, and it caused her breath to catch in her throat. He circled around her slowly, bringing his scent along with him. He smelled like sandalwood and an unidentified cologne. She closed her eyes, feeling intoxicated by his scent. She didn't know how much longer her legs could hold her up if she didn't get some space. When she opened her eyes, he was standing in front of her, mere inches away. Flashbacks to the previous night played through her head. Him standing just as close, nearly kissing her.

Cat Noir liked this little game he was playing. Liked it even more knowing that she wasn't indifferent. He could tell by the rise and fall of her chest that she was getting worked up from their encounter, and he hadn't even touched her yet. He shuffled his body closer, never looking away from her light blue-grey eyes. They were like reflecting pools, and he wanted to drown himself in them over and over again. He reached up with his hand and brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead. He didn't know if it was wishful thinking, but it seemed like the melted into his touch. He grabbed her jaw with one hand and tilted her head back so she was looking directly at him. It wouldn't be hard to kiss her now. All he'd have to do is cross that millimeter of distance between their mouths and place his lips on hers. She was shaking beneath him, and he heard her gulp loudly. He smirked before leaning down, placing a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth, and stepping away.

Ladybug looked at him in bewilderment. This was the second time he'd come close to kissing her just to pull away. Only this time, he'd gently kissed her face before walking away. What was he playing at? Was this a game to him? She grumbled to herself as she hurried to catch up with him before he left the alley. By the time she found herself walking beside him, he was totally back to normal. He seemed completely unaffected by what just happened, and her legs still felt like jello. Was she the only one feeling anything here?

"I figure we can hit the park and circle back around. It should be about midnight by the time we finish," he said casually. She cut her eyes over at him looking for any sign that showed he hadn't been left untouched by their encounter, but he looked cool and relaxed as usual. If this continued, she was going to lose her mind.

"Uh, yeah. That sounds fine," she managed to squeak out. He looked down at her with a knowing smile, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes again. So he hadn't just forgotten what happened. Instead, he was likely torturing her for all these years he'd held feelings for her and had felt they were unreturned. Truthfully, she'd never been unaware of him. Even as teenagers she could sometimes see him in a certain light until he did or said something annoying. But back then, she wanted one person and one person only. Adrien. Her every waking thought had been about Adrien and she even dreamed about him sometimes, too. Was she stupid to have spurned any of Cat's advances in the past? She certainly thought that maybe she had been too hasty in determining that nothing should ever happen between them. Then, a thought struck her. She had spent most of her life pining after Adrien, but tonight, he was the furthest thing from her mind. Tonight, she was only thinking about Cat. Was that a sign that she was moving on, and did that mean that she'd already made her decision between the two?

"What are you thinking so hard about over there?" Ladybug's head shot up and she looked into his eyes with a slight blush fanning across her cheeks. He stopped walking, and she doubled back to where he stood when she realized he wasn't beside her.

"What are you doing," she asked when she stood before him once more, hands on her hips. He looked down at her with his trademark grin, and chuckled.

"You're still thinking about earlier, aren't you?" His voice was low and deep, and his smile never faltered. The already sprouted blush on her face kicked into high gear, and soon she could feel her face burning.

"N-no. Not at all." She was normally really good at lying after having had so much practice on her friends over the years, but Cat was the one person she couldn't hide from no matter how much she tried. He gave her a look that told her he didn't believe her, and before she knew it, his arms were wrapped around her waist and he hoisted her against him. She could feel the hard planes of him stomach against her softer one, and his strong arms held her close. She looked up into his face as he looked down into hers. Was he finally going to kiss her? His head lowered until his lips were hovering over hers. Just one slight movement and their lips would be touching. Ladybug closed her eyes and prepared for what would come next.

"Help! Someone please help!" A strangled voice came from the nearby park, and both Ladybug and Cat Noir straightened up immediately.

"Fuck," he said as he let Ladybug go. His plan was to slowly pull her in until she could no longer handle his teasing, and here he was about to kiss her right here in the middle of the street. They both looked at one another, breathing heavily, and took off to the park. Once there, they saw a man holding on to the strap of a woman's purse as she pulled on it from the other end. It was obvious he was trying to steal her purse. This would be a very easy situation to handle. Cat charged at the man and knocked him to the ground, sending the purse flying. Ladybug helped the woman search for where the purse had landed. She could hear the men fighting in the background, but knew that the robber was no match for Cat Noir. He'd take him down in no time. She spotted the purse and lifted it off the ground before handing it back to the woman.

"Go home now. We'll take care of this," she said to the frightened woman, and watched as the woman took off running out of the park. Ladybug turned around to see Cat sitting on the struggling man.

"If you stop struggling, I'll get off. But, if you keep on being difficult I'll sit here all night." Ladybug had to stifle her laughter as the man stopped struggling beneath Cat. He stood up, and the man scrambled to his feet.

"You guys are crazy," he yelled before running off. Ladybug and Cat looked at one another and started laughing. It wouldn't be the first time they'd been called that after a fight. They walked forward until they were standing before one another, and Cat looped his arm through hers. They began walking, staying on the alert for any signs of trouble, but for Ladybug, the trouble was the man standing next to her. Would he have finally kissed her if it hadn't been for that woman needing help? There was no way to know now, because things were back to normal once again. Aside from his arm around hers, there was no more touching or almost kisses. By the time they made it back to the alley in which they started, Ladybug was feeling confused and unsure of their relationship. For the first time ever, she didn't know where they stood.

"Until tomorrow, little ladybug," Cat called out before disappearing around the corner of the building.

"Until tomorrow," she whispered, mostly to herself. Once she got back home she was feeling tired but amped at the same time. The long day had taken its toll on her, but she was left feeling wired and alive after her meeting with Cat. Once she was back in her normal clothing, she crashed onto the bed and stared up into the ceiling as she always did. She could feel a change coming, and she didn't know if she was ready for it. On the one hand, she had started seeing Cat Noir in a different light recently, and it was obvious he still had a thing for her. On the other, she still hadn't sorted out her feelings about Adrien yet. Maybe it was time to let him go in order to pursue something with someone who could truly understand her. But then, her and Cat didn't know who each other truly was. How could something built on such a large secret last? Sighing into her hands, she threw open her bedside table for the sleep aids once more. There was no way she was getting any sleep without them. Marinette downed the pills and lay back in bed. By the time she fell asleep, her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts bouncing back and forth between Adrien and Cat.


	4. Chapter 4

"Marinette, you really need to let loose sometimes. You barely drank the other night, and left early. You're working yourself to death." Alya complained as they both sat down at a table at a bistro somewhere between both of their jobs. Alya worked for a tech start up which suited her perfectly. Marinette sometimes envied her for how much she loved her job. Working for a fashion magazine wasn't the most terrible job she'd ever had, but it wasn't what she wanted to be doing with her life.

"I'm fine, Alya. I just have a lot to do right now." If only she knew that Marinette's tight schedule had nothing to do with work. There were times where she wanted to tell her best friend that she was Ladybug. Alya would shit herself, though. She'd run a blog all about Ladybug for years. Even after this time, the novelty of a superhero hadn't worn off on a lot of people. There were still hundreds of people in this city who wanted to know who Ladybug was.

"Can we at least go out this weekend? It's just one night, please? I'm begging." She'd have to tell Cat that she wouldn't be able to make it out to patrol, but maybe one night off wouldn't hurt.

"Let me see what I can do about work and I'll let you know." Alya lit up and clapped her hands together. It didn't take much at all for her to get excited. The girls finished their lunches and headed back to work. Marinette was sitting at her desk fitting together another article when her phone rang. It was Adrien.

"Adrien, hey. I don't have long to talk, though." She headed into the breakroom for a cup of coffee so she could have her conversation in peace.

"It won't take long. So, Alya said we were all going to go out on Friday, is that true?" Marinette sighed as she mixed sugar into her coffee.

"I promised her I'd try to get work finished so I could. I have to admit I'd kill for a night off." Though she'd miss that pesky cat and his wiles.

"Great. I could really use a night out myself. It's been a while." Adrien seemed just as busy as she did, but she also had no idea what it was like being a model. She was sure the pressure to do well for his father made him even more susceptible to stress than even she was.

"Then let's try to make it Friday." By the time they hung up, Marinette was feeling a little better about the whole thing. She was sure Cat wouldn't mind if she ditched one night. She was always on time and always there every night. Even superheroes needed a night off sometimes. Marinette worked through the rest of her day anxious about telling Cat that she wouldn't be able to make it out for patrol on Friday. When she got home from work she paced back and forth in her bedroom.

"Tell Tikki what's wrong." Marinette looked over to see Tikki sitting on the bed regarding her with concern.

"Am I a good Ladybug if I take a night off?" She chewed her lip and started down at the little creature before her.

"Of course you are. You're Ladybug, but you're also Marinette. You can't forget that you have a duty to your real life as well." Leave it to Tikki to always offer some wise words. Marinette sunk down onto the bed next to Tikki and covered her face with her hands.

"If that's the case then why am I so nervous about telling Cat that I won't be there on Friday?" Tikki smiled and drifted up to her shoulder.

"That's because you like him, silly. It'll mean one night of not seeing him, and you aren't sure if you like that. Don't forget that I'm there for everything and I see all that happens." Marinette sat there dumbfounded. What if Tikki was right? This was all getting so confusing. She was trading a night with Cat for a night with her friends. Adrien would be there. It would be a good time to find out how she really felt. If she could handle not seeing Cat, if she still felt those deep feelings for Adrien.

"Maybe, but I already promised my friends. So, I'm just going to tell him tonight and that'll be that." She nodded in self-assurance, and stood up feeling more secure in her decision. She needed to know how she truly felt. About both of them. How odd to be caught up in a love triangle with two people who didn't even know about each other. It was getting close to ten so Marinette transformed into Ladybug and filtered out of her window to go meet up with Cat, her stomach churning the entire time. When she got there she didn't see him, so she just waited.

"Hello, my little ladybug. Tell me how much you've missed me." She smiled as he came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She could feel her body warming to his touch.

"I've missed you about as much as snowmen miss the sun." It wasn't her best quip, but it was all she had in her distracted state.

"Just as I thought. You truly do miss me when I'm not around." He walked around to face her, and stood extremely close. Here we go again, Ladybug thought. He was going to tease her then pull a Houdini as he had the two nights before this one. Ladybug backed up a step, Cat followed. It was as if she were prey and he was hellbent on catching her. She continued to back up until she felt the wall of the alley hit her back. She had nowhere to go now. Cat stood in front of her with a devilish smirk on his face. She wanted to slap it off his face and kiss him at the same time. "So, little ladybug, tell me how you really feel."

"I believe I already have." She wasn't going to give in so easily this time. She just needed to keep her wits about herself, and lead him to believe that he had no effect on her. Easier said than done.

"No, I think we both know that's not how you truly feel." Could he see through her that easily? He placed his hands on the wall on either side of her and leaned in until his mouth was at her ear. "I think you're lying to both of us if you say you don't miss me." She couldn't suppress the shiver that ran through her body at the feel of his lips on her ear. What was going on? He had backed off for a while, but now he was coming on stronger than ever. What had changed?

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered. She wasn't being very convincing, but her head had begun to feel muddled and foggy anytime she was around him lately. He threw his head back and laughed, and she felt irritation rising up. Was he just playing with her? "If you're just playing games with me, I'd like for you to stop it."

"Games? I'm playing no games with you, little ladybug. Games are for children, and we're both grownups now." Another shiver took her over when his tone darkened into something more promising. "You're so responsive. Why now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've spent years chasing after you and you never showed an interest. But suddenly…" She didn't have an answer for that. It's like one day she woke up and just noticed him.

"I don't know, Cat. I'm not sure why now. I just…I see you." His bright green eyes looked down into her own pale blue eyes and he stared for what felt like forever. She was captivated and unable to look away. Then, he finally gave her what she'd been craving. He lowered his mouth and pressed his lips against hers. His lips felt unnaturally soft, and they fit against hers so perfectly.

Cat finally kissed her. He had planned to draw this thing out until she could no longer handle it, but he had no self-control. He wanted her far too much. Inside he was jumping up and down in pure joy, but outside he tried to remain calm. Her full lips felt so wonderful and warm. He licked at the seam of her lips, and she greedily opened her mouth. His tongue darted in and found hers, and they tangled together. He moved his hands to cup her small face before exploring her mouth further. They were supposed to be patrolling, but he wasn't sure how much of that they would get done tonight. He heard a soft moan escape from her, and it reverberated all the way through him. Using his tongue, he traced circles around her mouth before lapping at her tongue once more. She tasted sweet like fruit. He didn't know if this kiss was going to be enough for him. What if she regretted it? Begrudgingly, he pulled away slowly, and saw they were both breathing heavily. She couldn't lie and say she wasn't affected by him anymore. He could see it in her eyes that she wanted this just as much as he did.

Ladybug brought her hand to her lips and felt them gently. They felt swollen and they tingled more than they had before. That was one hell of a kiss, she had to admit. It was as if time had stopped around them and they were the only two people in the world. For those few moments where his lips were on hers, she forgot about everything except him. And…it had been nice. She didn't worry about work, or Hawk Moth, or her friends, or even Adrien. Everything was forgotten except this strange and elusive man before her. He was right. They weren't children anymore. They were adults, and that had been a kiss of intention. She looked down and could see how hard he'd gotten. When she looked up he had the decency to look sheepish.

"This suit doesn't really hide much, you know." She laughed and shook her head, but inside she felt something akin to excitement. Knowing that he wanted her that badly made her feel incredible. Like she was something to be desired. She didn't know if he'd feel the same way if he met her in every day life, though. What if it was all just novelty because he didn't know who she truly was and they had their costumes to cloak them? The suits would prevent them from doing anything other than kissing, so obviously nothing more would happen. They couldn't know each other's true identities. They'd decided that when they were teenagers, and it was safer that way.

"There's something I need to talk to you about," Ladybug said, suddenly remembering Friday night.

"What is it?" He looked down at her with his ever-present smile.

"So, I have a thing on Friday. I don't think I'll be able to patrol then. I hope that's okay." She looked at him through her lashes and saw relief cross his face. That wasn't the reaction she'd been expecting at all.

"I actually have something to do then, too, and I wasn't sure how to tell you. This is great news. Now I won't feel like a total ass for ditching you." Ladybug rolled her eyes for what had to be the millionth time in all these years of working alongside him.

"So, it's settled then. We won't meet Friday night." He nodded in agreement, and they began to make their way out of the alley.

"Admit you're going to go crazy without your daily dose of Cat Noir." She could do nothing but laugh, though she thought she probably really would miss him. Especially after tonight. She'd dream of that kiss, she was sure of it.

"I might miss you just a tiny bit. But only because patrolling saves me from sitting at home bored all night." She walked ahead of him, being sure to swing her hips a little as she did.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that." He watched her walking up ahead and thought he would probably be the one to lose his mind first. He wanted more of her, but had no idea how to make that happen. He knew that nothing more could happen while they were in this form, but knew she'd be totally against revealing their identities to one another. She'd been against it since the first time he suggested it. He hid this from everyone in his life, but he wanted to share it with her and only her.

"Are you going to drag along all night or are you going to catch up?" He smiled and jogged to catch up to her. He could stand behind her all day long, but he couldn't forget that they were also out here for a reason.

After she got back from patrol, Marinette lay on her bed smiling to herself. He had finally kissed her. It was the best kiss she'd ever had, and that made her wonder if he was good at everything else, too. She'd only been with one other man before, and it was nothing to write home about. As much as she knew they could never have more than a kiss, she also ached for so much more. Then, the guilt hit her. What was she doing? She was supposed to be in love with Adrien. Adrien was the one who had occupied her teenage thoughts up until now. The high from tonight's kiss slowly came crashing down around her. She felt like she was betraying Adrien somehow, though they weren't and never had been together.

"Why don't you look happy? Isn't this what you wanted?" Tikki sat on the throw pillow on the bed and regarded Marinette.

"Yes, I think, no, I don't know! I feel guilty because of Adrien." She hung her head as she dressed for bed.

"Well, you don't owe him anything. He's seen other women before, and I doubt he feels guilt over it." For some reason, that didn't make her feel any better.

"Maybe, but I still feel guilty. We'll just see how Friday goes, and then I'll make some decisions then." Friday would hopefully tell her who had her heart more. Adrien, or Cat. Right now, she was more confused than ever. That kiss had been the stuff dreams are made of, but it left her feeling a little lost. She climbed into bed and was determined not to use the sleep aid tonight. She didn't want to need a pill to help her sleep. Unfortunately, she was up until four in the morning mulling over her thoughts and feelings about the two men in her life.


	5. Chapter 5

The next few days passed in a blur, and Marinette found herself getting dressed before a mirror. It was Friday night, and it was time to go out with her friends. She felt that little glimmer of sadness that she wouldn't be seeing Cat tonight, but she still felt excited to see her friends. They were meeting at a dance club a short cab ride away from her house that they used to go to all the time in college. It was true that she hadn't been out there in a very long time. Maybe Alya was right about her needing this after all. She grabbed her clutch purse off her bed and straightened her dress. This was sure to draw Adrien's attention. If he showed no interest then she would take that as her sign to finally let him go. Once she stood outside the club, she called Alya to see if everyone had already made it there.

"Hey, Marinette. We're all inside already waiting in the back at a table." She spoke a few words to Alya and hung up the phone as she stood waiting in line. She didn't have to wait long before the bouncers at the door shuffled her inside along with the people before her in line. As she entered and squinted, trying to adjust to the dim lighting in the place, she headed directly for the back corner of the room to where her friends were. They were talking loudly, and clearly already having a good time. When she sidled up to the table, everyone fell silent.

"Wow, M, you look awesome," Nino said, the first to break the silence. She smiled with a slight blush and said a thank you.

"Really, you look stunning, girl." Alya confirmed Nino's appraisal, and Marinette felt her confidence rising.

"You do look lovely, Marinette." She felt her heart stutter in her chest when she heard the words leave Adrien's mouth. She knew he probably meant them in the same friendly way her other friends had, but she couldn't stop her imagination from running wild.

"Thanks, you guys." She sat down next to Alya and across from Adrien. This would give him easily view of her and her outfit all night. She would shortly be able to tell if he was interested or not. She ordered a drink from a passing waitress and returned to the conversation at the table.

"So, I think I know who Cat Noir is for sure," Alya declared proudly.

"He's probably just some loser with a God complex," Adrien said with a flippant wave of his hand.

"No, he's kind, funny, and he's an amazing person," Marinette found herself saying before she could stop herself. Everyone at the table looked at her in silence. Why was she defending Cat so readily tonight?

"Oookay, so does anyone want to hear my theory?" Alya pulled out her phone, and flipped to a picture of a random blonde man Marinette had never seen before. "I think he's this guy. I had an English course with him in college. He looks almost exactly like Cat Noir only without the mask and suit." Marinette took a closer look. Could that be him? Could this be the man who had kissed her?

"Oh yeah, that's totally him. I definitely see it, Alya." Adrien seemed very upbeat and enthusiastic about the photo, and Marinette found herself smiling. He was always so supportive of Alya when she came forward with new information about Ladybug or Cat Noir. Even if she usually ended up being wrong.

"Do you? Because I think I've really got him this time. Now all I need is proof." She put the photo away and clapped her hands together. "But, enough about that for now. I think it's time we have a few drinks and dance the night away." Everyone agreed, and soon they had a round of shots at their table. Try as she might, she couldn't get Cat out of her head. She wondered what he was doing right now, who he was with, if he missed her, too.

"M, why didn't you drink your shot?" Nino looked at her as if she had grown an extra head. She had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she hadn't been paying attention to what was happening at the table.

"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about something," Marinette said with a small smile. She picked up the shot and downed it in one go then slammed the glass back on the table. Her friends cheered, and Alya stopped a waitress to order more drinks.

Adrien looked around at his friends. They were the best friends he ever could have asked for, but he felt like he was missing something. He was missing Ladybug. He knew he had an obligation to hang out with his friends if he wanted them to continue being his friends, but he was kicking himself for not seeing her tonight. He wanted to kiss her sweet little mouth and whisper naughty things in her ear as he'd done the previous nights leading up to tonight. After that first mind-blowing kiss, the others came so easily. Kissing her felt right, and he should be doing it right now. He clenched his fists under the table, trying not to let a sour mood take him over. If he couldn't be with her, he could still make the most of the night. He needed to give his friends his attention and get out of his own head. He owed them that at least.

"How's work been, man?" He looked up as Nino addressed him.

"It's been fine. Same as usual." In reality, his father had been more cold and distant than usual, so work had started to feel more stressful than it already was. He wished he didn't feel this incessant need to make his father happy when he knew there was nothing that would make him happy. He was an unforgiving man with a heart of stone. Always had been. There were times when he wondered how his father would react if he knew that he was really Cat Noir. Would he be proud of him then?

"More shots!" Alya was a bit of a partier, and with her around it was hard for anyone to do anything other than have a good time. Marinette found herself smiling and leaving her thoughts of Cat behind for just a moment. The table had downed another round of shots when a shadow was cast over the table.

"Oh my god, it's Adrien! Come dance with me." Marinette watched as Chloe dragged Adrien from his stool over to the dance floor. So much for seeing how Adrien reacts to her tonight. She hadn't been paying much attention anyway, truthfully, but with Chloe monopolizing Adrien's time, it would be nearly impossible to gauge his reaction. She was really trying to be present and enjoy the time with her friends, but her damned thoughts were constantly flickering back to Cat. She couldn't get him out of her head. The past few nights he'd kissed her each time they'd met and each time they parted, all while whispering wicked words of promise in her ear. She wasn't sure how she managed to get through patrol with her wits about her. Now here she was thinking about him still when she was supposed to be enjoying a night with her friends. She watched as Chloe and Adrien moved on the dancefloor. It should be her dancing with him like that. But as fate would have it, Adrien was pulled from her grasp as usual. Maybe this was a sign?

"Are you going to watch them all night or do you want to get out there and dance with me?" She looked up to see Alya regarding her with a sassy look on her face. She couldn't help but smile at her friend as they stood up from the table and made their way over to the dancefloor. Marinette danced the night away, stopping only for more shots and sips of her drink. She was starting to feel kind of down because Adrien hadn't spoken to her much tonight because of Chloe. It would be just her luck that she would be here tonight. Marinette's feet were beginning to ache, so she went to take a seat at their table. Alya scouted the dancefloor for someone to dance with while she took a break. She sipped her drink, head feeling fuzzy. She was close to being drunk, and it'd been a while since she'd allowed herself to cut loose and truly enjoy herself. Even though she missed patrolling, this was good for her. Soon Adrien joined her, finally taking a break from dancing with Chloe all night.

"I'm going to be feeling this in the morning," he said with a laugh. She could tell he was drunk, and she laughed as he wobbled a little on his chair.

"I think you've had enough," she said, sliding his drink away from him.

"Probably so." He smiled at her and ordered a water from the waitress that stopped by their table. He was always so in control, and she assumed that probably had a lot to do with how he was raised and who his father was. "You really do look great tonight, Marinette." She raised her head to look at him, and neither of them spoke for a moment. They just looked in each other's eyes. She could feel some kind of connection between them, she knew she wasn't imagining it.

"Thank you, Adrien," she said with a smile. Her heart was thundering in her chest. This was the attention she had been waiting all night for. He pulled his chair closer to hers, and their knees touched. She felt a buzz that came from more than just the alcohol she was consuming. They talked for a while about completely innocent topics, and she was waging a war within herself. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but now didn't feel like the right time. He was drunk and they were in a loud, crowded dance club. On top of that, she was starting to feel doubt. Most of her thoughts tonight hadn't been consumed by Adrien. They'd been thoughts of Cat and the things he'd done to her over the course of the past few nights. She had to admit that she had liked every second of it, but it left her feeling even more torn.

"I'm about ready to head home," Alya said as she crashed at the table. She was drunk and happy, and Marinette couldn't hold back her smile at seeing her friend in such high spirits.

"I second that, man." Nino looked ready to fall asleep at any moment. Everyone agreed that it was time to call it a night, so they gave hugs and began going their separate ways at the door. Adrien walked beside Marinette, staggering slightly, and they both stopped when they came to a fork in the road. He was going one way, and she was going the other.

"I had a great time tonight. We should do it again," he said, pulling her into a hug. She nodded, feeling weak in the knees by his close proximity. He leaned down a kissed her on the cheek before walking away without looking back. Marinette walked home feeling more and more hopeless. Her cheek burned from where Adrien's lips had touched it. Now she felt more confused than ever. She knew that her feelings for Adrien hadn't dissipated, and she also knew that her feelings for Cat were growing. She was no closer to making a decision, but she knew she needed to. It wasn't fair to anyone involved that she stay caught between two men. She needed to do something, and she needed to do something quickly. Marinette walked in the direction of home feeling like her heart had been put through a wringer. Maybe a night of sleep would clear her head some. She sighed and walked the rest of the way home with her coat tugged tightly against her. With one last look up at the moon, she entered her house and closed the door behind her. She was prepared for another long night without sleep, and began to undress for bed. Staring at the ceiling in bed, she played over the last part of her night over and over again along with the past few nights with Cat. Which one made her feel more? She couldn't tell. She made a sound of frustration and rolled over, counting the flowers on her wallpaper until her tired eyes closed on their own.


	6. Chapter 6

Saturday morning Marinette woke up with a slight hangover. Her head ached and her mouth was dry. She groaned and rolled over, the sunshine peaking through her window, blinding her. She shrunk away from the light like a vampire and looked at her clock on her bedside table. It was nearly noon. How late had she been out last night?

"Good afternoon!" She nearly yelped as Tikki flitted onto the bed and rested on the pillow next to her. She hadn't been awake long enough to endure Tikki's perpetual sunshine.

"Hey, Tikki." Marinette sat up in bed and stretched her arms over her head. It was time for her to get up out of bed and be productive with her Saturday. She had an article to finish and the deadline was approaching.

"Did you have fun last night?"

"I suppose so, but I'm not any closer to figuring out my feelings between Cat and Adrien. I left feeling more conflicted than ever. I still like Adrien, but I like Cat, too. What am I going to do?" She changed clothes as she spoke. Sometimes it was beneficial having such a wise little friend to help guide her.

"You just need to follow your heart. Your heart will never lead you astray. I know you're confused now, but you'll know who's right when the time comes." That all sounded cryptic and vague, so Marinette stewed in her feelings for a while longer. After last night there was no mistaking that she still had feelings for Adrien. It still wasn't clear if he saw more in her than a friend, though. That moment their eyes fell upon one another she knew she felt a connection between them, and she wondered if he'd felt it, too. Then there was Cat. She was already being sucked into his vortex, kissing him and letting him whisper such things to her that would normally make her blush. She felt safe with him. She just couldn't get around the fact that they still had no idea who each other really was. If she agreed to start anything with him, she felt that they'd have to come clean. It was the only way to make sure things didn't totally crash and burn. Maybe that was why she was so scared to start something with Cat. What if he didn't like who she was in every day life? What if he only liked Ladybug?

"My heart is pulling me in two different directions, Tikki. I don't know if it's ever going to tell me what I need to hear." Marinette picked up her laptop and sat it on the couch before going into the kitchen to brew some coffee. Once she had a steaming mug in her hands she returned to the living room and fired up the laptop. She worked diligently for almost two hours before needing a break. Tikki watched some tv, and it still amused Marinette after all this time how into cartoons she was. It was adorable and endearing. Looking at the clock she noticed that it was two o'clock, and there were eight hours separating her from Cat. Those eight hours would drag by so slowly. Unless Hawk Moth struck today, she'd have to wait until ten to see him.

The hours slipped by slowly, but soon it was time to head out for patrol. Slinking through the bushes around her house, Ladybug headed towards their meeting spot with quaking knees. She knew if he tried kissing her, and there was no doubt that he would, then she would kiss him back with all she had. In some ways it felt like a betrayal to her feelings for Adrien, but there was something irresistible about that intimacy with Cat that made it all feel worth it. Standing in the alley waiting for him to show up, Ladybug hummed a tune to herself. It was getting colder by the day as they fell deeper into autumn.

"How fast did you run here tonight, little ladybug?" She felt him come up behind her and wrap his strong arms around her waist. He dug his face into her neck, planting little kisses along her jaw. She sighed in blissful contentment at how natural it felt to be held and loved on by him. She had missed this more than she thought she would. Then a thought struck her. If anything ever did happen between her and Adrien, how could she possibly explain it to him? Did this mean she'd already given up on Adrien subconsciously?

"I shuffled here as slowly as I could," she joked. Really, she made it here as quickly as she could and arrived at ten on the dot. He hadn't taken as long to show up as he normally did either.

"Liar." He spun her around and pushed her against the wall. She made a sound of anticipation as he moved over her. His mouth fell on hers immediately, and she threaded her fingers through his silky blonde hair. The previous kisses he'd given her had been raw and fueled by passion. This time, however, he seemed to be taking his time. It was a sweet kiss that moved at a languorous pace, and she could feel him all around her, overloading her senses. His hands moved down her body slowly until they cupped her ass, and he pulled her closer into his body. She could feel his erection digging into her stomach, and as if on cue, her belly squeezed painfully. She hadn't been with anyone in a long time, and she needed this human connection. She was desperate for it. By the time Cat pulled away from the kiss, she was breathless and sucking in air as if her life depended on it. It felt like he pulled away a little bit of her soul with every heart-stopping kiss he placed upon her lips. He rested his forehead against hers and looked down into her milky blue eyes. "Tell me how much you missed me."

"I missed you as much as- you know what, fuck it. I missed you a lot. More than I thought I would." Her confession seemed to shock him, and she held back her laughter at his look of surprise.

"I was expecting a smartass comment, but I like your answer much better." A tingle ran up and down her spine at the flirtatious nature of his voice. He was toying with her, trying to make her hot and heavy so she'd beg for more.

"How much did you miss me?" Her voice came out husky and laden with desire. He trailed a gloved finger down the side of her face and thumbed her bottom lip, nibbling on it gently with his teeth.

"Oh, I missed you very much. I missed this plump little mouth, and I missed your little attitude. I thought about you constantly. It seems I'm the one who can't go without a daily dose of Ladybug." His words filled her with happiness. She couldn't fully explain it, but the idea that he'd thought of her while they were apart made her want more of him. Then sadness struck her. There never would be more.

Cat noticed a shift in her mood suddenly. She'd been cranked up on desire, but now she looked kind of melancholic, and he wondered why. She was so expressive that he wondered what kind of faces she'd make if she were under him in bed. How he'd love to see those faces of hers and commit them to memory.

"Why do you look so sad, little ladybug?" He wasn't sure he wanted to hear her answer, but he needed to know what was going on in that pretty little head of hers.

"What are we even doing, Cat? We both know this can't go anywhere. We're confined to kissing and building up all this wasted anticipation. Why not just focus all of that on someone who can actually give you what you need? Why me?" This hadn't been the direction he'd thought this conversation would go in. He thought it over a moment before answering. He knew that what he was about to say would probably cause an argument, but it needed to be said.

"If you'd just let me see who you are, if you saw who I was, it would make things much easier." She held a hand up before he'd even finished his sentence, shutting him down immediately.

"You know that can't happen."

"And why not? There's no rule out there that says we can't know about each other. Trust me, I asked Plegg years ago. You're being stubborn, and I don't know why." It worried him because he knew she was right. If they didn't reveal their identities to each other, they would never be able to have anything other than stolen kisses in a dark alley. That just wasn't enough for him.

"Because," she said in expasperation, throwing her hands up in the air, "what if you don't like me as who I really am? What if it's a mistake and it makes things awkward between us?"

"That would never happen." He said it so matter-of-factly that it nearly took her off guard.

"How could you possibly know that?" She was getting irritable, and she had no idea why. In reality he probably wasn't asking for much, but it seemed like such a steep price to pay not knowing what waited on the other side of that door.

"Because I love you," he said, raising his voice. She stood there in shock. She knew he had a thing for her, but she didn't know it was that serious for him. They stood toe to toe, both of them tense and on edge by his confession.

"No, you couldn't. You don't even know who I am."

"We could easily solve that right here, right now." He was challenging her. Normally she didn't back down from a challenge, but this one was extremely intimidating.

"No. Now back off." He backed her up against the wall again and used his knee to kick her legs apart. His hand drifted to the junction between her legs and she let out a yelp.

"Tell me you don't want me to touch you and make you see heaven." He slowly rubbed his thumb along her most private spot, and she swore she was already seeing stars. How long had it been since someone had last touched her like this?

"I-I can't, Cat." Her voice was small and high-pitched. He was going to get her identity out of her some way, somehow. If he had to torture her with little touches and searing kisses, then he would. He'd have her begging him to strip her of her clothing and have his way with her.

"You can, you just won't. Tell me, how much longer can you resist what we have between us? I know I'm at my breaking point. I want you, and I want you now." His gruff voice pulled her from her clouded state of mind, and she pushed his hand away so he was no longer touching her body.

"I resisted you for years, if you recall correctly." He smirked, and shook his head.

"You are the most maddening woman I've ever met, and I love you for it all the same." She stomped her foot in exasperation and pointed a finger at him, poking him in the chest.

"Stop saying that. How can you love someone you don't know everything about?"

"I may not know your real name, but I knew plenty about you. When you're angry or lost in thought you get this adorable little wrinkle in your forehead. Your laugh is so infectious that I find myself smiling when I just think about the way you throw your head back and laugh as if anything at all was the funniest thing you'd ever heard. You don't hide how you're feeling. I can tell what kind of mood you're in just from looking at you, and I know that right now you're feeling very torn because you know I'm right. You want more, and you know the only way to get more is to open up and let me see who you are. There's nothing to be afraid of, little ladybug. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere." She could do nothing but stand there and watch him ramble. It pained her to admit that he was right, but she didn't have a secure enough argument to battle him with. Saying it just wasn't a good idea sounded so lame after this bare confession of his. He was laying it all on the line.

"What if we regret it?" That was her biggest fear. That they'd do the big reveal and he'd find out just how mundane she really was. Then he'd regret ever asking to know her, really know her.

"I promise you that the only thing I regret is wasting years of my life not knowing who you are." She pretended to think it over, but she knew she'd never go through with it. She was scared to death, and nothing he could say would quell that fear. "Would it help if I revealed myself to you first?"

"What?" She wasn't sure if she'd heard him correctly.

"I can show you right now who I really am. Would that convince you how serious I am about this?" She shook her head and began backing away.

"No, don't. That would be a mistake. Why can't we just stay this way?"

"Because, I'll never have as much of you as I want this way, and I don't know if I can live with that." His words struck her. He was serious, and he meant every single word he'd said. That much was obvious. She began backing away slowly. Her fight or flight instinct had been activated and she was getting ready to fly.

"I-I can't. I'm sorry." She turned and ran. She ran away from him, and her feelings for him. She liked him so much, so much that it ran deeper than 'like.' Ladybug wasn't sure that she'd call it love, but it was definitely more than simply liking him. She ran all the way back home without stopping and clambered through her window with all the grace of a newborn foal. She discarded the Ladybug attire and paced frantically back and forth.

"That could have gone better." She looked over to see Tikki hovering by the window. "He's right, you know. There's no rule that says two people with miraculouses can't know about one another."

"I'm sure that's true, but I have my reasons. I'm pretty sure I just blew it though, so I don't think it really even matters at this point." Tikki sighed and flitted around Marinette's head.

"You didn't blow it. He said he loves you. It's going to take more than one argument to change that." Marinette wasn't sure. They hadn't even patrolled tonight. Just stood in the alley making out then arguing until she ran off. This entire situation was doing her head in. On top of Cat's love confession, she still had the Adrien situation to sort out. Her personal life felt like it was falling to pieces right before her eyes, and she had no idea how she was going to fix it.

"I don't know, Tikki. I'm making a mess of everything, and I don't know what to do."

"Do what feels right. That's all you can do." That was sound advice, but she didn't know what felt right. All she knew was that she should have seen this coming from a mile away. There was only so long they could carry on the way they did before something like this happened.

She put on some pajamas and sat in front of the tv. She wasn't going to get any sleep tonight, and she knew it. Damn the sleep aids, they just made her feel like a zombie the next morning. Flipping through channels Marinette stopped on a true crime documentary. It was perfect paired with her surly mood. Tikki had grown quiet and was nowhere to be seen. If even Tikki was saying there was nothing standing in their way, did that mean she was overreacting? No, no she wasn't overreacting. She was protecting herself, and, little to his knowledge, she was protecting Cat as well. She sat there brewing her thick emotions to a boiling point before she finally broke down and started crying. Tikki brought her a tissue when her crying had mostly subsided. She was pure emotion at this point, and she wanted nothing more than to hug Alya and cry on her shoulder. Unfortunately, there was no sharing this with any of her friends. No one could know that her heart was splintering, and that made it all the worse. Whatever she did, she'd have to figure it out soon. Like, before tomorrow night. Luckily, she had all night to formulate a plan. Feeling determination for the first time tonight, she pulled out a sketch pad and began writing down all her options, and pros and cons to go along with them. It took her all night on into the morning to come to a decision, but once she did, she felt confident again. She knew what she had to do, and she'd tell Cat when they patrolled in the evening. She would approach him with purpose, and she'd tell him exactly how she felt. Looking down at her list of options one last time, she circled the one she went with and snapped her sketchbook closed.


	7. Chapter 7

Adrien sat at her kitchen table with a coffee and donut looking like the world had royally fucked him over. He was in the worst mood, and Marinette couldn't figure out why. He wasn't willing to talk about it, so she assumed it had something to do with his father. Her mood had dramatically shifted from where she'd been last night. She didn't get any sleep, but she still felt good. She finally had a plan.

"I'm sorry you feel so down. If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." Adrien nodded at her, but said nothing. Silence reigned supreme over the table as he seemed deep in his thoughts. It was by far the quietest Sunday coffee they'd ever had. She wasn't sure why he bothered coming if he was feeling so off. She would have understood if he didn't want to come.

"I'll let you know if I can think of anything. Hey, thanks for the coffee, but I need to get going. I have a shoot to prepare for tomorrow and I need to go clear my head. She nodded and watched as he left through the front door.

"I wonder what that was all about," Tikki said with a confounded look on her face.

"I don't know, but I didn't think anyone's mood could possibly be any worse than mine right now. I just hope he'll be okay." Marinette spent the morning working on the article due tomorrow, and cleaning up her house. After that, it was a typical lazy Sunday. By the time night fell, she was feeling nervous. She didn't know how things would play out tonight, but she was hoping to put her plan into action. Right before ten she transformed into Ladybug and crept from her window to go meet Cat. Once there, she waited for what seemed like thirty minutes before he finally showed up. He was stiff and formal, no air of that sweet seducer she had grown used to.

"Okay, let's get this over with. I have things I need to do." He was being so cold. So unlike himself. Now she wasn't even sure she could go through with her plan.

"Wait-"

"No, no more waiting. I can't do it, Ladybug. From now on I need my distance. We can work together, but I can't be strung along anymore, so drop it. I'm here for the people of Paris. That's my obligation. That's the only reason I'm still here." Ladybug felt tears prick her eyes. She completely balled up her plan and metaphorically threw it in the trash can. Gone was the Cat she'd had feelings for, and in his place was this whole other person. She didn't like this side of him one bit. They spent the evening patrolling and as soon as they were done, he walked off without so much as a goodbye. That night she cried herself to sleep, knowing she'd finally blown things to the point of no repair.

At work Monday morning, she was feeling exhausted emotionally and mentally. She woke up somewhere around three o'clock and couldn't get back to sleep. She'd lain there all night nursing her wounds. His words had cut, and they'd cut deeply. Her plan had been to tell him she'd reveal herself, but she wanted a deadline. If she didn't come forward before then, then she would have no other choice but to come forward on the date they chose. It would give her time to gather up her courage rather than have talk of revealing their identities thrown in her face out of nowhere. It was the only way she knew how to be brave about this. But, as fate would have it, that choice was taken out of her hands last night. There would be no reveal, there would be nothing anymore. He was done with her, and God did that hurt. It was then that she realized she'd felt more for him than she'd originally thought. It was taking everything in her not to fall to pieces at work. There was no way for her to explain her broken heart to anyone in her life. She'd have to power through it and pretend all was fine because no one in her life knew that she was close and personal with Cat Noir.

"Marinette, can I talk to you in my office for a moment?" Marinette nodded and followed her boss to her office and closed the door behind them. "Please, take a seat." She sat down in a plush chair in front of the modern glass desk that took up most of the office space. "Are you familiar with Mr. Agreste?"

"Oh, yes. He's my best friend's father."

"He's requested that you be the one to come take notes and conduct the interviews for our Fall for Fashion piece that we're printing in November. Here's a file on all you'll need to know for the fashion show. Memorize the names of all the models and designers that will be there. I'm counting on you not to screw this up." With that, she was dismissed. Once back at her desk, she opened the file and silently breathed a sigh of relief that she'd finished up her article yesterday so she'd have extra time to pour over the file. She worked all through lunch. To be truthful, she wasn't really feeling very hungry today. She was still feeling sore from her encounter with Cat, and she just wanted to go home so she could freely cry and kick things.

The end of the day came, and she sluggishly walked the twenty minutes home rather than with a pep in her step as she usually did. She felt no pep. She felt nothing but desolation. She'd been avoiding Alya's calls, not wanting her friend to see right through her and start asking a million questions. She'd get it all out tonight, and call Alya tomorrow with a fresh face and renewed emotions. She hoped so anyway. Marinette wasn't really looking forward to patrol tonight. She longed for the nights when she couldn't wait to get out there and see Cat. It had only been two days since their argument, but it felt like a lifetime ago. She poured herself a glass of wine when she got home and continued looking over the file that her boss had given her. She saw that Adrien was going to be in the fashion show, and felt giddy that she'd get to see him do his magic up close and personal.

Ten o'clock rolled around and she found herself spilling into the alley, slightly tipsy from the wine she'd consumed. She stumbled past the dumpster and was surprised to find that Cat was already there. He looked at her with concern, but she couldn't have cared less. The wine had her feeling good for the first time in twenty-four hours. She was riding on that feeling, and not even his cutting remarks and foul mood would take that away from her.

"Are you drunk," he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"And what if I am? Are you going to act like my dad now?" She was being nasty, using a wretched tone of voice, but she couldn't help herself. She was feeling bitter and it was all coming out thanks to the loose lips spurred on by alcohol.

"I don't think it's very safe for you to patrol if you've been drinking is all. I don't want to have to babysit you all damn night." He was starting to sound angry again, and Ladybug shrunk away.

"I'll be fine. Just do your thing, and I'll do mine." She stuck her nose up in the air and walked out of the alley onto the street. She could feel him follow along behind her, but he made no move to walk along beside her. It was just as well. She didn't know that she could handle seeing his face. It was easier to pretend he wasn't there at all if she didn't have to see him. Luckily patrol was quiet and nothing bad happened. She put on her tough girl act in front of him, but she really didn't know that she could fight anyone in this condition. It was stupid to have drunk so much. They parted ways, again without a word, and Ladybug crawled through her window, nearly falling on her head in the process. When she was back in her regular clothes, Tikki floated past her head until she was in her line of vision.

"I told you that was a bad idea."

"Get lost, Tikki. I'm a big girl and I can handle myself." Tikki looked hurt, and Marinette knew she'd gone too far. At this point, Tikki was her only confidant. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I know you're just worried, but really, I'll be fine."

"It's okay. I know you're hurting. I'm here if you need to talk, as always." With that said, Tikki went to find a nook to rest in. Marinette took the file out once more and shuffled through it for the umpteenth time that day. She eyed the drawer where her sleep aids lie and decided to use them tonight. She needed at least one night of rest. Just a few hours where she wasn't thinking of Cat and how much she'd fucked things up. She lay back in bed after downing the pill and fell into a deep sleep. That night she dreamt that Cat had captured her and turned her over to Hawk Moth. She tossed and turned all night having horrible nightmares in which Cat betrays her. Needless to say, when she woke up the next morning, she was feeling anything but rested.

The next few days passed in mundane monotony. She went to work, she went home, she endured an excruciating evening of patrol with the still sour Cat, then she came home and struggled to sleep. She was feeling so tired in every sense of the word. How was a person supposed to function like this? How could anyone keep going when they felt like the world had stopped turning on its axis, plunging them into perpetual darkness. And, that was truly how it had felt lately. Marinette felt as if she hadn't had a ray of sunshine in her life in days. Even the prospect of going to this ultra prestigious runway show didn't perk her up as much as she wished it did. She mostly floated through life right now, and she wasn't sure how to break herself out of it. She felt like she'd lost something, and maybe she had. Maybe her indecision was the last straw in the cosmic balance of things. Maybe she was getting what she deserved for trying to muddle through life with two men in her heart. Either way, life simply sucked at the moment, and she was trying to cope with that.

Work had been boring as usual, and the walk home in the crisp October air did nothing to clear her head. It was Thursday, only one more day of work for the week before she could spend the weekend moping. She'd mad lunch plans with Alya the next day, and she knew she'd beg her to go out with her over the weekend. The very last thing she wanted to do was party and have a good time. She waited until it was time for patrol and drug herself there with all the strength she could muster. Her and Cat walked down the street, then passed through the park. There they saw a man trying to steal money from the pocket of a homeless man who was sleeping on a park bench. Knowing that was probably all the man had to his name, Ladybug was upset and angry at what she was witnessing.

"I've got this," she said, and traipsed over to the man who was busy trying to sneakily dig through the homeless man's pockets. "Excuse me, but I think you need to back off." The man jumped and turned around.

"Excuse me, but I think you need to mind your own business, little girl." That burned her up inside, so she pulled back her fist and let it connect with the man's nose. He held his nose as it bled, and took off running in the opposite direction. She felt satisfied with herself, and she had to admit that punching something had felt almost therapeutic. She returned to Cat's side and saw him watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Maybe it was too late to fix things, but that didn't mean that he didn't still notice her. He admired her fire as she defended herself against the pickpocket. God knew he still wanted her, but he had to protect himself. He couldn't allow himself to be strung along anymore. It wasn't fair to him, and he wanted to be with someone who wanted to give all of themselves to him. It was obvious that Ladybug was not that person. She made herself loud and clear. He just hated how much his damn heart hurt knowing he'd never kiss her lips or hold her little body against his again. How was he supposed to handle knowing that the woman he loved didn't love him back as much as he hoped she did?

Ladybug hung her head as she walked home from patrol. It was late and hardly anyone was out at this time. Mostly just people who worked late and were also on their way home. A few people stopped her to ask for an autograph or a picture. It wouldn't be the first time it happened, but it did lift her spirits a little to know that there were people out there who appreciated what she did. When she got home she crawled into bed after putting on pajamas and stared at the wall. Cat still seemed angry. She wondered how long he'd keep it up. She supposed he had every right to be upset that she'd basically told him that she couldn't take the risk to have more with him than just little kisses. He didn't even know about Adrien, and could only imagine how much worse his mood would be if he knew that she had feelings for another man. There was no use ruminating over it now, though. Cat had said his piece, and that was that. There was no more to be said or done. Marinette pulled out a sleeping pill and downed it with a glass of water. She didn't care anymore that she was dependent on them for sleep. She just wanted to have one nights rest where he didn't plague her dreams. She finally fell asleep, but the dreams still came, and she still woke up the next morning feeling tired as ever.


	8. Chapter 8

This one is a bit longer than the previous chapters, but for a good reason! There's also a sex scene later on in the chapter, so don't read this one if you don't think you can handle it. Thank you to all my followers! I hope you like this one.

Patrol had started to feel like a chore lately. It was painfully awkward, and they no longer felt like they were in sync. It was eating away at Marinette that she might not ever get her Cat back. She needed to fix things, but she didn't know how. She was so close to giving up before she even started. She walked alongside him in silence, the tension between them palpable. There were so many times she would go to say something to him, then close her mouth again. What could she possibly say? He was mad at her, and she could tell he was hurting just as much as she was. It was obvious they were both stubborn and held onto their pride dearly. If she didn't break the ice, how would they ever get to a point where they could at least talk to one another again?

"Cat," she said, stopping on the sidewalk. He walked ahead a bit then stopped, not turning to face her. "Can we please just talk? I don't like this." He was quiet for a while, and she was sure he wasn't going to answer when he finally turned to face her. His face looked like it was crumbling. She almost preferred his anger over this deep sadness that was splayed so clearly across his face.

"There's nothing to say. We both made our decisions, and that's just how it is. It's better this way." He clenched his fists at his sides before crossing his arms over his chest. She felt her heart fully rip into two pieces. She wasn't sure she'd even felt this much desolation over Adrien never taking notice of her. Maybe Cat was who she should have chosen from the beginning, and now she lost that chance to see what could have been.

"Well, I have a lot to say even if you don't." She was determined to make him hear her, even if it didn't change anything.

"I don't really want to hear it, no offense. I just want to patrol and go home like we always do. But, I can't be your friend, Ladybug. I felt- feel- too much to see you as a friend. If I can't have you in the way I want you, then I just need to learn to accept it and I need you to give me time to do that." She felt an ache in her chest knowing that she'd caused him pain. She never wanted things to happen this way. She wanted to go back to the way things were. She wanted him to smile again because his smile took her breath away.

"But-"

"No, now stop. Just give me what I need. And what I need is to not talk to you until I can get past how I'm feeling. I don't want to end up saying something I'll regret." With that, he turned around and began walking forward again as if they hadn't spoken at all. Even under the circumstances, she still melted at the sound of his voice. She just wished that he hadn't sounded so broken. Did she break him? And would he come back from it? She certainly hoped so because she missed his easy air and the way he laughed at everything. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she followed along behind Cat for the rest of their patrol.

Climbing through her window, she immediately took a sleeping pill and fell into bed. The runway show was coming up Sunday evening, and she had less than twenty-four hours to prepare for it. She didn't know if she was fully ready, but she had no other choice but to go in there and try to be a good representative of her company. Luckily she'd managed to get out of going out with her friends this weekend by claiming she had the biggest break in her career riding on her being home working. Alya was disappointed, but she was understanding much to Marinette's relief. Her mind kept running wild, but once the sleeping pills kicked in, she passed out and for once had a dreamless nights sleep.

Sunday morning Adrien sat at her table once again like he did every week, and Marinette could tell something was still off with him. He hadn't seemed like himself the last few times she'd seen him. He seemed so down. Whatever his dad had done or said this time had really struck a chord with him, and she felt sad for him that he had so much weighing him down. She tried making small talk to take his mind off things, but he didn't seem very interested in the conversation. It was like he was a million miles away. She had to admit that she wasn't feeling at her greatest lately either after her fight with Cat. She put on her best face in front of her friends, but once she was alone she fell apart over and over again. Things were so messy and murky that she couldn't see the bottom of the trench that had become her relationship with Cat. She knew she'd messed up when she found herself thinking of him in even Adrien's presence. Suddenly, Adrien stood up, the chair scraping behind him, and looked at Marinette with his intense green eyes. He had a look on his face that told her something big was about to happen.

"Come here," he commanded. She obeyed without a second thought. She stood before him and he looked down at her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her closer. Marinette felt her breathing quicken as he pulled her in as close as he could. She looked up at him in confusion. He smelled so good, and she couldn't help but feel like she'd smelled that same scent before. Before she even had time to react, his lips were on hers. This was what she'd been dreaming of since she was a teenaged girl. Her arms hung at her sides as his hands dug into her upper arms. This was an intense kiss full of pent up emotions and anger. She could sense anger under all his passion. This kiss, though. It felt oddly familiar. Like she'd kissed him a thousand times before.

Adrien was feeling angry. Ladybug had denied him once again and it hurt. It hurt because he loved her, and he thought she felt something for him, too. It was obvious now that she'd been playing with him. That she had no intention of seeing anything through. That's when he decided to kiss Marinette. He knew she liked him, and in another time and place in his life maybe he would have returned those feelings in full. Marinette was a wonderful person with a big heart. His heart belonged to another though, so he acted oblivious to Marinette's feelings for him for so long. It was probably cruel of him, but he could never tell her that he was in love with Ladybug. As far as his friends knew, he'd never even met her before. He grabbed Marinette by her arms and pulled her close, laying his lips on hers. He didn't even attempt to hold back. He had so many conflicting emotions right now that they all came pouring out in that kiss. When she started kissing him back he was reminded of Ladybug's kisses. Marinette kissed the way she did, made soft moans the way she did, even grasped at him the way she did. This kiss was all too familiar.

That was when they both broke away and stared at one another. It was as if wheels were slowly beginning to turn in their heads. The dam breaking and giving way to a flood of emotion and knowing. Marinette raised her hand to her lips, and felt them. They were swollen from the rough kiss, and her eyes were wide open, as if she were putting pieces together. Adrien stood there, hands on either side of his face, eyes just as wide. They both said nothing as they stared into each other's eyes. Marinette noticed it first. Those intense green eyes, his wonderful scent, that messy blonde hair. Adrien was slower to react, but it finally fell into place for him too. Her clear, pale eyes, the little furrow in her brow, the way she reacted to his touch and his kiss.

"No. Fucking. Way," he said. "No. Are you…?" He couldn't even finish his sentence. If she truly was Ladybug she'd know what he was asking before the words could even leave his mouth.

"Adrien," she whispered. There was no way. There's no way they could go this long holding this secret from one another without suspecting anything. She should have seen it. Should have noticed the similarities long before now.

"Just tell me. Tell me who you are." He was finally feeling less shocked, and more determined. If this was what he thought this was, his life was about to be both less complicated and more complicated all at the same time.

"I-I'm me. I'm Marinette." She couldn't bring herself to say the words she knew he was waiting to hear. Once it was out in the open, there was no going back.

"You know damn well what I mean, Marinette." He wasn't playing games anymore. He had so many questions. So much he needed answers for. She looked away, the kitchen sink suddenly becoming the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen. "Look at me." Slowly her gaze drifted back to him, and she fought past the lump in her throat. Her mouth hung open as she searched for the words she needed to say.

"I'm…I'm. Do I really need to say it?" He nodded, and she drew in a deep breath. "I'm Ladybug." The words were whispered, but they both heard what she said. The air around them grew still. You could hear a pin drop in the silence that shrouded them. "And you," Marinette asked after a while.

"You know who I am," he whispered hoarsely.

"I still want to hear you say it."

"I'm Cat. Cat Noir." Marinette put a hand to her mouth and choked back a sob, and collapsed to the floor. This was almost too much. She'd spent a large portion of her life running after someone who happened to love her back, just not in the way she'd imagined. It was Adrien all along. The person she spent her nights with. The person she'd kissed and rubbed herself against in alleyways. The person she fought beside. It was all Adrien. He came over and crouched down next to her, lifting her face up with a finger so she'd have to look him in the eye. Tears still streamed down her face. "Please don't cry, little ladybug. It's going to be okay." That only made her cry harder. Gone was the chilly Cat that had spurned their relationship because of her inability to commit, and here was her Cat. Her Adrien. They were the same person, and she almost couldn't believe it. She'd have almost never believed it had it not been for that kiss. She'd know that kiss anywhere. He pulled her into a hug and she found herself relaxing into his touch. When she closed her eyes she knew it was true. She knew that this was Cat. She had memorized the way his body felt against hers after so many nights of being held and kissed by him. Once her cries subsided, she pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"How did we not notice?" She couldn't believe that she'd been around him so much and hadn't realized who stood before her. Now that she knew, there was just no mistaking it. He walked like Cat, talked like Cat. She felt stupid for never putting the pieces together before now.

"I don't really know. If I'm being honest you were the last person I expected to be her." He sounded like he was far away, like it hadn't totally set in for him yet. Truthfully, it was still registering with her that the two men she'd been torn between were one and the same. Fate had a really funny way of handling things.

Adrien looked down at Marinette, still in total disbelief that he had found her. That she was no longer hidden to him. He felt no disappointment at discovering that one of his best friends had secretly been the woman he'd fallen in love with years ago. It was mostly the shock that it was Marinette of all people that had him speechless. He found it funny that they'd been chasing each other around in circles without even realizing it. He'd loved her as Ladybug, and she'd loved him at Adrien. But there towards the end, he could tell that she'd really started to feel something for Cat. He still didn't understand why she was so scared of revealing her true identity, but now there was no turning back the clock. They knew now, and now they had one hell of a mess to clean up.

"I wasn't expecting you to be him either," she murmured against his chest. He loved holding her, and now that he knew she was Marinette, he was determined not to let her go ever again.

"You know what this means, right?" She shifted so that she was looking up into his face, and she shook her head, not understanding where he was going with this.

"This means that we don't have to hide from each other anymore. I know you, both parts of you." She realized he was right, and she knew both parts of him as well. Now his bad attitude had finally made sense. He'd been stewing in his feelings for Ladybug even as Adrien. He really did love her. She pulled back just enough to sit up on her knees so she was at eye level with him. She took his face in her hands and really looked at him for what felt like the first time. This was all so strange and bewildering. He reciprocated and took her face into his own hands. IT felt like time stood still as they stared at one another.

He was the first to make a move. He pulled her closer and kissed her once more. He thought kissing Marinette would feel weird, but now, knowing who she was, it felt so natural that it made his heart ache. They were wrapped up in one another on her kitchen floor, and he drowned in her kiss. He loved the little sounds she made as his tongue dueled with hers, and he wasted no time running his hands all over her body. Now that he had her, truly had her, he wanted all she had to give. But, he didn't know if she was ready for that just yet. Her small hands traced a path along his jaw, down his neck, and her hands fisted his shirt. It was as if they couldn't get close enough to one another. He laid her back on the floor and continued kissing her face, sprinkling little kisses along her cheeks and jaw.

Marinette lay there on her kitchen floor as Adrien hovered over her kissing her. She still felt like she was living some kind of dream. Her heart soared knowing that she could have both Adrien and Cat. They were one in the same. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off her, and she returned his kisses with all the emotion she'd been feeling over the last week. She felt his hands traveling along her body, and she decided right then that she was going to have him. She didn't know if he wanted that yet, but she certainly did. She'd been teased and had to wait for this for so long. She had been resigned to the fact that she'd never have more with Cat than stolen kisses, but now that wasn't an issue anymore. Now they were free to pursue what they wanted without any barriers between them. She stopped kissing him long enough to ask the question that would determine what direction they were going in.

"Do you…do you want to go to my bedroom, maybe?" She hated how unsure she sounded, but she needed to know if he wanted her as much as she wanted him. He nodded, and relief flooded her. He helped her to her feet, and scooped her up in his arms carrying her all the way to her bedroom. Their cups of coffee and pastries were long forgotten this eventful morning. Once there, he laid her out on her bed and laid next to her, pulling her close. His mouth found hers once more and they kissed until they needed to come up for air. He was taking this slow, she could tell.

Adrien wanted to savor every last moment of this morning with her. That's what he kept telling himself so he wouldn't rush through this and tear her clothes off in haste. He lifted her shirt up and kissed her stomach, circling a tongue around her belly button. He could feel her quiver under his touch, and a slow smile spread across his face. She wanted him as badly as he wanted her, and he couldn't have been more thrilled to know that fact. She invited him into her bed, and he had no intention of leaving until he had his fill of her. The only problem was that he wasn't sure he'd ever get enough. He continued raising her shirt until he lifted it up over her head, and he tossed it across the room. Her skin was soft and warm, and he took his time kissing her shoulders, her bared stomach, and then finally, the swell of her breasts. He wanted to wrap his mouth around her nipples, so he made quick work of taking her bra off. Her nipples peaked in her arousal, and a low growl escaped his throat. This woman would be the death of him. He bent his head down and as soon as his mouth made contact, her hips shot up off the bed. He pushed them back down gently and held her body down as he tortured her already straining nipples with his tongue. Just when he was sure she could take no more, he sat up and began unbuttoning her pants. He could feel her trembling, and he could tell she was nervous. He knew she'd only had one boyfriend in the time they'd been friends, so he wasn't sure how experienced she was at this. He'd dating other models over the years, but those relationships had been so superficial and empty. The only good thing that came out of it was that he'd had plenty of practice so he could make this good for her.

Marinette couldn't stop herself from shaking as he removed her pants. Now she lay here in nothing but a pair of panties and she watched as his eyes appreciatively roamed her body. His hands gently rubbed along her sides, then her legs, finally they rested at the waistband of her panties. She was really going to do this. She was about to sleep with her teenage crush and also the man she'd grown to have major feelings for over the last few weeks. She was nervous, but ready. He slowly peeled them off and slid them down her legs. Cool air hit her between her legs and she squeezed them together.

"Let me see you, little ladybug," he whispered. She liked that endearment he'd taken so fondly to using. He parted her legs gently, and stared before lightly trailing his fingers over her, making her tremble even more. She squirmed under his scrutiny, but felt a twinge of relief when he began removing his own clothing. His muscles were taut and firm she noticed as he removed his shirt. She could spend all day just kissing his torso. He pulled at his belt, removing it and tossing it somewhere close to his shirt. Once he removed his pants and underwear, she could do nothing but stare as he stood erect. He was extremely ready for this. He climbed in between her legs, and leaned forward to kiss her mouth once more. She could feel him digging into her stomach, and she felt a flood rage between her legs. "Are you ready to do this," he asked, uncertainty creeping into his voice. She nodded, words failing her at the moment, and he sat back on his legs. He rubbed himself against her entrance before pushing forward. She felt a small bit of pain as he entered. It had been quite a while since she'd done this. She knew, however, that he was going to make this so good.

Adrien stopped moving forward long enough for her to adjust to his size. He knew she hadn't been with anyone in a while for sure now. She was so tight around him that he didn't know how long he'd actually last once he was fully in her. He pushed forward more, and looked into her light eyes that were clouded with lust. He could sense some discomfort on her part, but she was fighting past that because she wanted nothing more than to enjoy him. He leaned down and kissed her pouty lips as he surged forward slowly until he filled her. She made a strangled noise against his lips and he pulled back to make sure she was okay.

"Did I hurt you," he asked, brushing his fingers against her cheek.

"No, I'm fine. Just don't stop." She smirked at him and it found it the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. She was so amazing, and he didn't know how he didn't notice who she was before now. He kissed her again as he began rocking his hips against her. Her little mewls and cries filled his ears, and encouraged him even more. He was so close already that he didn't think this would last very long. He was excited and enthralled by this beautiful woman under him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and the new angle drove him in deeper.

Marinette could hardly believe this was happening. She was making love to the intertwined men in her life. This was definitely a dream. She'd be waking up any moment. Adrien's lips found hers and continued kissing her deeply. She moaned into his mouth loudly, and he hummed low in his throat. This already was better than it ever had been with her ex. She felt him deeply inside her, pushing against her walls. It was an intense feeling, but she loved every second of it. Soon he began picking up speed, and the new sensation drove her wild. She could feel herself moving closer to the edge of that precipice. With his faster, harder thrusts, he pushed her and pushed her closer to coming. He tenderly stroked her face, and kissed her below each eye. It was like two sides of him were fighting against one another. He wanted to be tender, but he also wanted to ravish her after waiting so long to have her.

Adrien could feel her starting to clench around him slightly and knew she was close. That encouraged him, and he began thrusting in deeper and harder. Her nails dug into his back, and he hissed in pleasure. He wasn't totally sure, but he would be willing to bet she could be an animal in bed if the mood was right. He hoped to unlock and unleash that side of her. Within three more thrusts she cried out and he felt her pulse around him. It was so tight that he soon found himself following her over that cliff into pure bliss. With a deep grunt, he slowed his thrusts until he stopped completely. He almost didn't want to pull out of her, she was so warm and inviting. Eventually he did, and crashed onto the bed next to her.

"Fuck," she suddenly said, jumping up out of the bed and rushing towards the bathroom. His forehead scrunched into confusion, and a few minutes later she returned looking shaken.

"What's wrong?" He could see on her face that something was very wrong, and he hoped she didn't regret sleeping with him.

"I'm not on birth control," she said. His mind blanked for a moment, but then it clicked into place. They hadn't used protection. He was such an idiot.

"Jesus Christ. Okay, we'll figure this out. Don't worry, it'll be alright." He was mostly trying to convince himself. He wasn't sure it would be okay if anything came of this. Neither of them were ready for something like that. "Come here."

Marinette climbed back into bed and Adrien wrapped her up in his arms, kissing her on the shoulder. They lay like that for a while, him stroking her hair, before they both fell asleep wrapped up in one another.


	9. Chapter 9

Marinette stretched out on the bed, and felt something warm against her back. She froze in place, trying to clear the sleepy fog from her head. Then, it all came rushing back to her. Adrien, Cat, discovering who he was, sleeping together. She had been sure it was a dream, but when she turned her head to the side and saw him sleeping soundly next to her, she knew it had truly happened. She bit her lip to suppress a smile that threatened to crack her face wide open. Then that smile disappeared completely. They hadn't been very careful or smart. She wasn't on birth control, and they hadn't used protection. Fear and worry gripped her. What if she got pregnant? What would she do then? Her stomach felt sick at the idea. Not that she had anything against Adrien, but she wasn't ready for something like that.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" She nearly jumped as he spoke. She had been so deep in her thoughts that she hadn't heard him wake up. She turned fully to face him, and he smiled at her. It was so good to see him smile again, and she found herself smiling back.

"Nothing important. I just have a lot of work to do. Oh no, what time is it?" She hopped from bed and looked at her clock. It was only noon, thankfully. She put a hand to her chest and breathed out.

Adrien watched Marinette jump up in a panic. She was adorable even when she was panicked. He propped his head up on his hand and watched her rushing around to get dressed. He wanted nothing more than to drag her back into bed, but they didn't have protection, and it wasn't a good idea to risk it any more than they already have. That was no doubt what had been on her mind when he'd woken up and saw her forehead creased in thought. She'd been so lost in her head that he'd been able to watch her for a few moments undetected. Now that he knew she was Ladybug, he couldn't believe he never noticed before. Everything from the way she moved to the way she talked was exactly like his little ladybug. His heart felt full to bursting, but they had a lot to talk about. Unfortunately, he'd have to leave soon to do the last rehearsal before the runway show tonight. She'd be there, and he was suddenly feeling nervous about it. Now she knew all parts of him, and there was a certain feeling of a burden being lifted from him now that he had someone to share his secret with. It was sweet relief, and he was glad that things turned out the way they did. He still couldn't get over the fact that she hadn't wanted to reveal herself to him. It had hurt him so badly, and that hurt still lingered even now. They really did need to talk, but that would have to wait until later.

Marinette dressed and looked over at Adrien. He lay in bed as if he didn't have a care in the world. She rather liked the image of him in her bed, but they both had things they needed to do. He rolled from the bed and she not so discreetly watched him as he put his clothes back on. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and she blushed. He looked so good, and she knew his smell would linger on her sheets for days.

"I wish I could stay, but I have to go get ready for the show tonight," Adrien said regretfully. She wanted more time with him, but she understood. She still needed to go over the file some more, and then get dressed for the fashion show.

"I have a lot to do to get ready for it, too. We'll see each other tonight, I promise. I'll be in the crowd cheering you on." He kissed her again, this time drawing it out into a long, slow tantalizing kiss that left her breathless. He rubbed his thumbs along her cheeks and kissed the tip of her nose before walking out the front door. Marinette sighed and then began panicking once she was left alone with her thoughts. She'd just slept with Adrien, Cat, and it had been…amazing. Did this mean they were together again? They wouldn't be patrolling tonight more than likely due to the fashion show, so she had some time to really think things over before they had to transform again. This all changed everything for both of them. It would change everything from her interactions with Adrien to her crimefighting with Cat. She just hoped she was ready for these changes. Only time would tell.

Marinette walked through the doors of the Grand Bohemian Hotel after flashing her VIP pass to the bouncer at the door. It was crowded and people in beautiful dresses and suits filled the space. She didn't look half as glamourous as these people did, but she thought she held her own. She wore a floor-length red dress with a red flower decorating her hair. She applied her make-up a little heavier for tonight's event. She searched the area for Adrien, but realized he was probably in the back with the rest of the models. She didn't know how he could get up in front of all these people. She was also very clumsy so there's no way she could have gotten up there without falling on her ass. Speaking of, her everything was sore and thoroughly loved. She could feel twinges of pain all over her body from her activities this morning, but she didn't regret a single second of it. All she regretted was that they weren't careful about it. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and milled about the room. She wasn't supposed to drink tonight, so she passed up on a flute of champagne that a waitress had brought by. She could have really used it, but she needed to keep her wits about her. She scanned the room before recognizing a designer from the file her boss had given her. She went over to introduce herself and ask a few questions.

"Hi, my name is Marinette. I'm here to conduct the interviews on behalf of Velour Magazine."

"Ah, yes. Ms. Valencia told me you'd be here tonight. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have." She felt relieved that this was going to well already.

"Okay, my first question. What inspired you to make your collection tonight?" She listened to his answer, writing it down on her notepad. She asked a few more questions and then let him go on his way. She was killing this so far. She wandered around the room bumping into a few more designers and asking them the questions given to her in the file. Now all she had to do was interview a few models after the show and she'd have all she needed for the article in next months issue. So far tonight was going so well that she thought maybe her luck was looking up after her horrible week last week. She made up with Adrien/Cat in more ways than one, and her work was easier than she'd thought it'd be.

Soon it was time for the fashion show to start. The lights dipped down low and music began playing. Spotlights shone on the stage, and soon a few models began walking down the runway showing off extravagant clothing. Marinette knew none of these outfits were street ready, but they were still beautiful to look at. It was definitely a couture line. Model after model came down the runway in succession, and Marinette was beginning to get bored. All these outfits looked too similar for her to hold interest any longer. But then, the male models began coming out and she knew Adrien would be out soon. She perked up and waited. It wasn't long before he graced the stage. He moved in his feline way across the stage, all graceful and poised. It was no wonder he did so well as a model. She watched him raptly, her eyes never leaving him. When he caught her eye, he gave her a wink and she smiled brightly.

Adrien walked down the runway with purpose. He knew Marinette was out there somewhere. When he reached the end of the runway he saw her and winked, and was rewarded with her gorgeous smile. She looked so drop dead gorgeous tonight in her red dress. He wanted to hop down off the stage and drag her away from here. Never in his life had he ever been so affected by a woman. Yes, she would definitely be the death of him. He could barely drag his eyes away from her to complete his turn down the runway. Somehow he managed to peel his eyes away and walked back to where he started.

Marinette sighed with happiness. The look he gave her told her he had promises in store for her. She couldn't wait. It took another hour before the fashion show was over, and Marinette's feet were killing her from standing in these heels all night. People were already beginning to leave. She waited by the closed doors that led backstage and waited to speak to the models. Before she could speak to any of them, she felt a hand wrap around her own and begin dragging her away.

"Hey, what are you doing, let me go," She yelped. She turned around to see Adrien at the other end of her arm. "Where are you taking me?"

"Just trust me." He led them through a door that led to a large room filled with tables lit with candles. This must be where the dinner for the designers and models would be taking place. He immediately took her into his arms and pulled her in for a kiss.

Adrien felt like it'd been forever since he kissed her when it had only been a few hours. Her lips played against his as if they were made just for him. He felt her hands coming up to thread through his hair, and she pressed herself flush against him. He loved how she responded to him when they were kissing. He broke away and took her hands in his.

"I'm glad you're here," he said with a small smile. "It makes up for my father being here. He's probably looking for me now." He knew he sounded bitter, but he couldn't help it. His relationship with his father had only continued to decline the older he had gotten.

"I'm glad I'm here too, but you should probably go. I'm sure there's a lot of people looking for you, and I have to get at least one model interview." He only smirked because she sounded so neurotic.

"You can just interview me if you want," He said this as if the idea should have been obvious to her in the first place. "It'll give me a reason to stall having to talk to my father."

"Okay, thank you, Adrien. First: what did you think of the designs tonight?" She got down to work, not wanting him to be pulled away in the middle of their interview.

"They were all very lovely, but not as lovely as you."

"Adrien! I can't write that down." He just laughed and shook his head.

"Okay, okay. I thought they were lovely pieces and I felt honored to wear one of them." She scribbled his words on her notepad and asked a few more questions. He stayed professional through it, and she was thankful he wasn't in one of his playful moods anymore or she more than likely wouldn't have gotten anything out of the interview. She deducted that his rapidly declining mood had everything to do with his father, and she felt awful for him. She had such a great relationship with her parents that she couldn't even fathom what Adrien must go through.

"Adrien, there you are. Your father wants you to come meet some people." His dad's personal assistant came into the room to deliver the news. Adrien looked upset, and Marinette hated seeing him like that. He gave her a kiss on the hand and left the room with the assistant on his heels. She stood there in the dimly lit room and thumbed through her notes. She thought she did a fairly good job on getting together everything her boss had asked of her. Feeling like she had no other business here, she left the room and started making her way towards the exit. She looked over and saw Adrien standing next to his father within a circle of men. He put on a smile, but she could tell it was fake. He looked miserable, and she wished she could drag him out of there. He didn't catch her eye so she left without a goodbye.

When she got home it was a little after eleven, and she couldn't wait to get out of her dress and into something comfortable. She kicked her heels off at the door, then went to her room to change. Once she was in her comfy clothes, she laid down in bed.

"Are you going to be okay," Tikki asked. "You've had an eventful day."

"I'll be fine. I have a lot to wrap my head around, but I think with some rest I'll have a clear head tomorrow."

"How do you feel about Cat being Adrien?" That's one of the things she had yet to really let sink in. It felt so surreal to think they were the same person.

"I really don't know, Tikki. I think I'm maybe okay with how it all is working out." She yawned and rolled over in bed. For the first time in a long time she fell right off to sleep.

She woke up to her alarm clock blaring beside her. She stretched and rolled out of bed, heading towards the bathroom to get in the shower. After her shower she was feeling mostly awake, so she got dressed and headed out the door. Today she'd be presenting Ms. Valencia with her interviews from last night, and she couldn't be late. Marinette walked hastily towards work, clutching her bag to her side as she half ran. It was beginning to rain as she stepped inside her work building. Hopefully it'd be gone by the time she met Alya for lunch. Stepping inside the elevator to go up to her floor, Marinette triple checked that the notebook with all her notes was in her bag. She kept panicking that she left it at home.

"Marinette, meet me in my office in five." She had just stepped through the door to her office when her boss immediately commanded her presence. She rushed to her desk to put her things down and prepare for the meeting. She got her papers all together and went to meet her boss in her office. She knocked on the door and heard Ms. Valencia mumble. She opened the door and went inside, closing the door behind her.

"Ms. Valencia, I have all my notes from last night with me here," she said, pulling her notebook out from under her arm and placing it on the desk in front of her boss. She picked up the notebook and flipped through it, pausing to read her notes carefully. It took nearly fifteen minutes for her to go through and read everything twice. Ms. Valencia slapped the notebook closed and looked at Marinette. Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth.

"Good work, Marinette. You did a fine job. I'll let you know if we need your services again." Marinette nodded and stood up from her chair and nodded. Was that it? She actually did a good job? She smiled to herself as she went to sit at her desk. She felt like her job was finally worth it after all.

That night she left to go on patrol and waited for Adrien to show up. He didn't take as long to show up as he normally did. He had a wicked little smile on his face as he approached her, and he swept her up in a hug.

"This all feels so weird now, doesn't it?" She laughed a little but nodded. "Now that I know who you are, I can't see you as anyone other than Marinette."

"I feel the same way. You're just Adrien to me now." This was their first patrol after discovering who each other was, and she knew that now they were fully in sync. They had no secrets between them anymore. They left the alley after a quick kiss and began patrol. Luckily they ran into nothing suspicious and they were just getting ready to part when Adrien spoke up.

"Until tomorrow, little ladybug." She smiled at his easy air as he kissed her cheek and strode away.

Once she'd made it back home she couldn't sleep. She was too awake to get any rest. She lay there thinking over everything that'd happened over the course of two days. Now that she'd had time to think things over some, she realized that she truly was happy that Adrien turned out to be Cat after all. It was as if fate were handing her the keys to happiness. A tapping sounded at her front door and she frowned in confusion. Who could possibly be here this late at night? She looked through the peephole to see Adrien standing there. With a smile she threw open the door.

"Miss me?" He leaned against her doorframe and bent down so that his face was inches from hers.

"Get in here." She pulled him into her house and shut the door behind him. "Why did you come here? Not that I mind, but you never come over on weekdays."

"I missed you, and I didn't get as much of you as I wanted earlier." He just continued smiling as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and pulled her along to her bedroom. "Don't worry, I came prepared this time." He dropped a box of condoms onto her bedside table. Marinette immediately felt her body flush with desire. He hoisted her up and threw her down on the bed, pouncing on top of her. This was going to be one long night in the best of ways, Marinette decided as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

It was two in the morning and Marinette looked over at Adrien and watched the rise and fall of his chest in sleep. He looked so peaceful that she was afraid her tossing and turning would wake him. As she stared over at him, he began mumbling in his sleep. She couldn't make out all that he was saying, but she was sure she heard an 'I love you' in there somewhere. She settled back down into her blankets and closed her eyes. She had no idea how things were going to go from here on out, but she was happy for the moment. Marinette cracked her eyes open one last time to look at Adrien's sleeping frame, then fell asleep huddled up next to his warmth.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning Adrien woke up looking at a different ceiling than his own. It took him a few seconds to remember that he had come to Marinette's house last night and ended up staying over. He looked to his right and saw her sleeping soundly next to him. He watched the way her face would scrunch up slightly as if she were dreaming. He wanted to kiss her. He always wanted to kiss her. The night of the fashion show he could barely wait for the show to be over so he could haul her off and give her a kiss. Things had been going fine until his father's assistant had pulled him away from her. All so he could meet some stuffy men in stuffy suits to please his father. His father still assumed that Adrien would take over the fashion empire he'd built, but Adrien had no interest in that. He liked what he did and it pulled in a substantial amount of money. Not nearly as much as his father had, but enough to where he didn't need his father's help with anything. Marinette's alarm went off and he watched her begin to stir. She yawned and stretched her arms over her head before slapping at her alarm clock to turn it off. She blinked a few times before focusing in on his face.

"Good morning, little ladybug," he said with one of his dazzling smiles. She smiled a little and rolled into him. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her forehead. Never in his life did he think he'd be waking up next to his best friend in bed. He'd dreamed of holding Ladybug all night long, but it was still fitting into place for him that Marinette was her. He loved her. He loved her as Ladybug, and he loved her as Marinette.

"Good morning, kitty cat." He palmed her back and massaged her shoulder. She could get used to waking up to him. She was glad that they'd been more careful last night, but she still had the first time to worry about. It was too late to do anything now but wait it out.

"Sleep well?" She nodded, and realized she truly had slept well. She fell asleep with no problems and slept soundly through the night. She wondered if his presence had anything to do with that.

"I really need to get ready for work now," she said regretfully. She wanted to stay in bed with him and never leave.

"You can always call in sick, you know." That was true. She'd never missed a day before, and she didn't have anything to turn in today. She decided then that she'd call out and spend the day with him. She felt like they hadn't had much time together since finding out about one another.

"Okay, fine. Let me go call." She got up from the bed and pulled on a silk robe that rested on a chair in the corner of her room before heading out into the living room to call her boss. Adrien lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. Last night had been just as wonderful as their first time together. She was the most responsive woman he'd ever been with. Every little sound she made and the look on her face as he slid into her were the only encouragement he needed to try and keep her home today. He had a free day today because his father would be in meetings all day, and he wanted to spend the entire day with her. They needed to talk, and then he hoped she'd still let him stay in her bed when they did. She returned shortly looking happy, and he smiled at her knowingly.

"What illness did you feign to get out of work today?" She came back into bed after taking off her robe, and he held her close.

"I just told them it was a nasty cold, and that was apparently enough for them to not want me there." She shrugged and looked up at him. He was biting his lip and it drove her wild. She wanted to push him down onto the bed and have her way with him, but she wasn't confident enough to take the lead. This was only ever her second lover, and she just didn't have it in her to be dominant. He was much better suited to it.

"Should we make some breakfast, or stay here for a while?" He was giving her an option, and she knew which one she preferred. She was hungry, but she was hungrier for him.

"Why don't we make the most of our current situation and stay here for a while?" His eyes glittered as she spoke, and she knew she'd made the right decision. He lay back and pulled her on top of him so that she was straddling him.

"This time, why don't you take control?" It was as if he'd read her mind, and she hesitated before nodding at him. She could do this, and she'd make it good for him. He rolled on a condom, and he hovered above him before sinking down onto his length.

They lay there with arms and legs intertwined. They'd made love three times in the last two hours and still hadn't managed to crawl out of bed. She didn't want to, truth be told. But, as all good things, it just had to come to an end.

"Can we talk?" The words came out hushed and Marinette felt her muscles tense. That was never a good sign to the start of a conversation.

"Um, sure. What is it?" He took a deep breath, and began talking.

"I know that things have been different between us lately now that we know about each other, but there's something I'm having trouble moving forward on. It hurt like hell when you ran away from me that night. The fact that you'd rather run away than face me and let me see you just killed me. It made me sad, and it made me angry, and now knowing who you are isn't the problem. The problem is me. I can't completely let go of how that felt, and I just want to know why you couldn't bring yourself to show me who you were. What was holding you back?" He waited, holding his breath, before she began to talk. Her voice sounded unsteady and small.

"I was terrified, Adrien. I just knew, I was sure of it, that if you knew who I really was then you wouldn't want me anymore. That the novelty of it was Ladybug, and that if the mystery was gone then you'd be gone, too. I didn't want to lose what I had with you, but I nearly did. You were so angry and cold that I felt like I'd lost a part of me. I hated hurting you, and I never meant to. I just thought I was protecting us both by refusing to come forward." He had to admit that he'd have been scared too if those kind of thoughts were running through his head. It felt good just to be getting it all out in the open, and he could feel some of those lingering feelings dissipating.

"But I know now, and I'm still here. I still love you just as much, if not more. I promise I'm not going anywhere." He kissed her lips and felt wetness touch his face. He pulled back and saw tears streaming down her face. "Why are you crying, Marinette?"

"Because you're here and you aren't leaving. Because you're you, and I think I love you, too." The last part was whispered, but he heard her all the same. He grinned, knowing she felt strongly for him too, and squeezed her tighter.

"I promise, I'm here. But, now I think we definitely need to get up and make breakfast." She swiped at her tears and nodded. They both got out of bed, and she was shocked to see that he didn't even bother putting any clothes on. He just traipsed from her room like he was on a mission. She donned her robe once more and followed him out into the kitchen. He put on an apron, the only thing he was wearing, and began searching through her fridge and cabinets. She chuckled as she pulled pans and bowls out. "And, what's so funny over here, my lady?"

"You're wearing nothing but an apron. I find it kind of charming." He waggled his eyebrows at her and sat eggs, bacon, and pancake mix on the counter before them. Marinette got busy mixing pancake batter while Adrien started cooking the bacon. Twenty minutes later they had a full meal laid out before them. Marinette was hungrier than she'd thought she was. All that extra exercise had really taken it out of her. She piled food onto her plate and chewed on a bite of pancake while she thought about something. "So, does this mean you don't have feelings for Chloe?" He swallowed the bite in his mouth and cleared his throat before answering.

"Not even a little bit. Why do you ask?" He looked confused at her question, and she thought there was no way he was dumb enough not to see how Chloe treated him. As if he already belonged to her.

"Just because of how she acts with you. She always made it seem like you two had something going on." He shook his head hard.

"There was never anything between us. I've known her for a very long time, but that also means I know what kind of person she is. She's no different than the horrible women I used to date in the past." Marinette was happy to hear what he was saying, but there was still one thing she didn't understand.

"If they were so horrible, why did you date them?" She cocked her head to the side waiting on his answer.

"Because, I thought it was better than being alone. You have to remember, I was in love with someone I thought I'd never have, and it just made me sour to any other relationships I might have had. No one else compared to you." The look he gave her made her shiver, and she knew that once this meal was finished, he was going to make a meal out of her next. They ate in silence for a while before he asked her how she became Ladybug.

"One day Tikki just showed up and told me that I could have super powers with the help of these little earrings. I wasn't very confident at first, but I just kept trying until I got it right." As if on cue, Tikki popped up and said hello.

"Hello, Tikki," Adrien said with a smile. He knew what was coming next, and called for Plegg. "Plegg, this is Marinette and Tikki. Everyone, this is Plegg." Plegg flitted over to Tikki and began talking to her as Marinette and Adrien watched them. Marinette had never seen a kwami other than Tikki before, and she was amused by Plegg. He was kind of a smartass, and he was always hungry. She didn't know how he didn't drive Adrien crazy.

Adrien was embarrassed by how thick Plegg was laying it on. Plegg had tried convincing him before that he should try to be with Marinette, so now he was rubbing it in his face. He and Tikki chased each other around the room while Marinette and Adrien talked. It was kind of nice having everything out in the open like this. There was no need to hide any part of him, and he reveled in the feeling it gave him. When they'd finished eating they'd gone back to her bedroom. They cuddled naked in bed and talked about everything under the sun. Today was perfect, and he couldn't have asked for more in this moment than what he already had. He was happy. Blissfully happy.

Marinette turned on the news to see a story about a villain who was terrorizing downtown Paris. Her and Adrien just looked at one another before they both transformed into Ladybug and Cat Noir. They hopped from her window and headed in the direction of the destruction. She internally laughed at the absurdity of this day. They'd spent the morning in bed, ate brunch, and now here they were about to kick bad guy ass. They were anything but normal. As they neared they could hear the villain ranting.

"I am Clockmaker, and I will find whomever destroyed my perfect clocks. Until I do, you'll all have to suffer my wrath."

"Sounds like he needs to wind down a little," Adrien said, and Marinette snorted. He just couldn't help himself and his terrible jokes. They finally spotted Clockmaker near the Eiffel Tower. He was stomping around, shooting a white light at people that froze them on the spot. He had the ability to manipulate time, and he was using it to halt time for all of these innocent people around him. Both Adrien and Marinette drew in and when he spotted them he attempted to freeze them in their tracks as well. They dodged his beams of light and tried to move in closer. Marinette scanned his body looking for the akuma when she spotted a watch on his wrist.

"His watch, Cat. The akuma is in his watch." Adrien nodded and used his stick to swipe at Clockmaker's legs, but he barely missed. He rolled off to the side and went in for another strike. Marinette tried sneaking up on him to swipe the watch off his wrist, but he heard her and spun around to knock her to the ground. Right at that time, Clockmaker rushed into a building nearby and locked the door.

"Cataclysm," Adrien shouted, and broke down the door. They walked in and looked around. They didn't see Clockmaker in the room.

"Ladybug and Cat Noir. You miraculouses will be mine." They turned around to see Clockmaker standing behind them. Before they had time to react, a beam of light shot out and rooted Adrien to the spot. It looked like it was up to her to finish the job.

"Lucky charm," Marinette called out and waited as her tool fell from her locket. "A mirror? What the hell?" She shrugged and faced off with Clockmaker. She was trying to formulate a plan in her head for how to get them out of this one. He raised his arm to shoot a beam of light in her direction when an idea popped into her head. She held the mirror up and it shot the beam back at Clockmaker, thus freezing him in the process. She walked around Adrien and approached Clockmaker. She pulled his watch off and smashed it on the ground. Once the akuma came flying out she captured it and made it pure once more. As she threw the mirror up into the air to return things to normal, she rushed to Adrien's side and waited until he unfroze. He shook his head and cleared his throat.

"He totally got me, didn't he?" Marinette nodded with a giggle and grabbed his hand.

"We need to get out of here before our identities are revealed to everyone. Come on." They made it back to her house as quickly as they could and as soon as the window was shut behind them, they transformed back into their regular personas once more. It was such a weird feeling for Marinette that she change in front of someone. She'd been doing it for so long on her own.

Adrien seemed to be running off pure adrenaline as he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the shower. He turned the water on and undressed her slowly, kissing his way along her body as he went. He liked that they could go fight crime and come back here together to celebrate another successful day as Ladybug and Cat Noir. He was used to going home alone to celebrate with Plegg. Which usually just consisted of Plegg eating cheese and Adrien crashing onto the couch as he stared off into space and daydreamed about Ladybug. This was a much better use of his time. Once they were both undressed he stepped into the shower and pulled her in along behind him. He held her close as the water washed over them, and he kissed her deeply. He could still feel his heart thundering in his chest as it did every time he went out to fight. That adrenaline rush made every fight feel like his first fight. It helped that he had someone beautiful to come back to now when every fight was over.

Marinette enjoyed the way the water sluiced over her skin. It was warm, but Adrien's hands were warmer. He soaped her up and rinsed her off, taking care to be gentle and delicate with her. By the time she washed him, they were both panting for breath because they knew what was coming next. He carried her wet body to the bed and laid her down. He had been so gentle with her up until now, but he thought right now he could be anything but gentle.

"I'm not going to go easy on you this time," he said huskily.

"About time," she replied. He flipped her over on her stomach and pulled on her hair as he thrust into her in one swift movement. He hadn't been lying about not taking it easy on her, but she loved every second of it.

They lay there next to each other, neither of them speaking a word. They were both lost in thought as they tried catching their breaths. Marinette was thinking about their accident and what she could do about it now. She wanted more than anything to get a free pass from fate. Just this once, and she'd never ask for anything again. Adrien was thinking of how much his life had changed in just a few days. He had been so bent out of shape with emotion just days ago, and now he was wired by a different emotion altogether. They both thought of each other. Of how they'd proceed going forward and what it all meant for their relationship. Adrien pulled Marinette closer to him and wrapped and arm around her waist.

"Tell me you love me," he whispered in her ear. She felt a tickling shiver run down her spine.

"I love you," she whispered back, and he felt his heart become full then and there. Those were the only words he'd needed to hear before he closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Marinette and Adrien sat across from their friends at a local dive bar. They planned on breaking the news to their friends that they were together, but Alya just couldn't shut up tonight. She rambled on about her Ladybug blog and her pain in the ass coworker for what felt like hours. Nino as usual was cool, calm, and quiet. Marinette got the impression that he was mostly along for the ride.

"So anyway, I'm pretty sure that guy I showed you last time wasn't Cat Noir at all." Alya said with a frown.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Alya. I was sure you'd had him that time," Adrien said, patting her hand. Marinette barely stifled a laugh. His behavior seemed funnier now that she knew he was Cat. She felt him kick her under the table, and she realized she hadn't done as well a job concealing her laugh as she thought she had.

"You'll get him next time," she said to make up for laughing. Alya looked disgruntled as she put her phone away in her pocket.

"So, enough about me, what have you guys been up to lately?" Marinette and Adrien shared a look, and then looked back at Alya.

"We're, um, we're kind of together now," Marinette said, stumbling over her words. Alya screamed and clapped her hands together.

"It's about freaking time! I knew this day would come, I just knew it." She immediately ordered a round of shots for the table and turned towards them once more. "So, how did it happen?" They both knew very well that they couldn't tell the truth, so Marinette looked at Adrien for help. He, being a suave as always, concocted a bullshit story that was full of romance. Alya seemed to take it all in, staring at Adrien as he spoke with stars in her eyes. When she finally looked at Marinette, she had the biggest smile on her face. "Marinette, come with me to the bathroom?" Marinette nodded and got up to follow Alya. Once they were in the bathroom and the door had closed behind them, Alya gave her a crushing hug.

"What's that for," she asked, gasping for breath in the tight grip her friend had her in.

"I'm just really happy for you. After all these years, it finally happened. How do you feel?" Alya's deep eyes stared her down. Marinette could tell she wanted full details.

"It feels…right. It feels like something that was meant to happen, and I'm happy." That seemed to appease Alya for now because they left the bathroom to return to the table shortly after Alya gave her another hug. Their shots were waiting on them when they arrived, and the girls both threw them back. Marinette could feel the slow burn all the way down, but she didn't mind it.

Adrien talked with Nino while Marinette and Alya talked in hushed tones across the table. No doubt about their recent announcement of their relationship. Alya had looked happy, but not the least bit surprised. He and Marinette had decided to skip patrol tonight to see their friends. It had been a little while since they'd gotten together, and he had to admit that he'd missed them. In the insane whirlwind that had been his life over the course of a few days, he really needed to unwind and relax some. He sipped his beer as Nino talked to him about a DJ competition he was thinking of entering. He encouraged his friend to go for it, but his mind was anywhere but in the conversation. He was so hyperaware of the woman sitting next to him that it was driving him crazy. He just wanted to get out of here so he could take her home and have his way with her.

"Earth to Adrien," Nino said, waving a hand in front of his face. He blinked a few times and shot his friend and apologetic look. "Are you okay, man?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking about work and stuff. I have a lot of upcoming stuff, and it's stressing me out." It wasn't a total lie, but it seemed better to him than telling the full truth. His relationship with Marinette was very recent, so he couldn't really explain how he'd been in love with her for years without even knowing it.

Marinette answered all of Alya's questions about Adrien expect for the truly explicit ones. Some things she wanted to stay between her and Adrien. They whispered to one another across the table so the men wouldn't hear them, and she caught Adiren looking over every now and then. The look in his eyes told her that he couldn't wait to get her home. She felt a warmth spread throughout her any time he looked at her that way. She had no trouble admitting to herself that she was already hooked, addicted. She couldn't seem to get enough of him. After another hour of talking and having drinks, Adrien said he was tired and needed to leave. He looked at Marinette expectantly.

"Right. I need to leave, too. I have a busy day tomorrow." She stood up, pulling on her jacket.

"Uh huh. Tomorrow is Sunday. What could you possibly have to do on a Sunday?" Alya looked skeptically at the pair of them, already knowing why they were in such a hurry to leave. Marinette blushed, but stood her ground.

"I have an article to research for, and then I have to write it. Busy, busy. You know me." She flashed her a smile, and Alya waved her away with a hand.

"Fine, but you owe me lunch."

"Deal." She felt Adrien take her hand in his, and they left through the front door after telling their friends goodbye. "Any reason you're in such a hurry to leave?"

"I can't sit there looking at you anymore without having you in my bed. Come on, my place is a short walk from here." He steered her in the direction of his house, never letting go of her hand.

Adrien watched her sleep. She nodded off not too long after he'd rolled off her, and he knew then that he was probably wearing her out too much. He needed to take it easy on her for a while, but he wanted her all the time. They'd spent a lot of time together this past week. He'd come over after patrol every night and stay with her. One of the perks of being a model was that he rarely ever had to be anywhere early, so he just watched her as she went about her morning getting ready for work. He started noticing her little habits. The way she showered first thing, the way she looked at herself in the mirror at least three times before changing her outfit, how she checked the clock every five minutes to make sure she wasn't running late. These things just endeared him to her even more. He wasn't sure if she was even aware of those things herself, but now he noticed everything about her. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her cheek. She murmured and shifted around in her sleep before settling back down into his arms again. This was what he'd been missing out on in life. Someone dear to him to share his bed. This was the first time she'd been in his place since they'd learned the truth about one another. He had to admit having her here, her scent enveloping his space, felt better than he ever imagined it would. He was tired, but he couldn't sleep knowing she was here. It was as if he was afraid if he closed his eyes that she'd disappear. When he could no longer hold his eyes open he held her tightly and drifted off.

Marinette woke up feeling like she was suffocating. It was so hot and she felt something heavy weighing down on her chest. She cracked her eyes open and looked down. Adrien's arm was thrown across her and he was snuggled up close to her putting off some major body heat. He was like a furnace. She smiled at how young he looked in sleep. She could almost see that teenage boy again if she looked hard enough. But they were both adults now living adult lives. His was much more glamourous than hers had ever been, but he never acted like it. He was never snobby or off-putting. It was one of the things she'd always liked about him. He lived a different kind of life than most people, but he was still so down-to-earth. She lifted his arm slightly and slid out from underneath him. She desperately wanted to stay in bed with him, but her bladder was protesting. Walking into the bathroom, Marinette took in his bedroom. He lived in an extremely nice apartment in one of the fancy buildings in this district. The interior was sleek and modern. She had to admit that it almost felt a little cold. So unlike her adorable little cottage on the edge of town. She was just flushing the toilet when she heard her name. She stepped out of the bathroom and saw Adrien standing in the middle of his bedroom.

"What's wrong," she asked, not liking his panicked expression. It quickly turned into one of relief, though.

"I thought you'd left." His face flushed with embarrassment and she nearly rolled her eyes. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I'm here. I just had to use the restroom. I wouldn't leave without telling you goodbye first." She knew he was feeling a little insecure, she just wasn't sure why. He wrapped his own arms around her and held her close, pressing her head against his chest. She could hear his heart beating in his chest, struggling to slow its pace. Had he really been that worried that she'd left?

Adrien had woken and she hadn't been in bed next to him. He'd begun to panic that she'd started regretting what they were doing and left him. His insecurities were getting the better of him. There were times that he'd wondered if she liked him better as Cat than as Adrien. He felt like he became a different person once he transformed, and he almost liked that person better than who he truly was. He couldn't blame her if she did, too. He wanted to ask her, but he didn't want to seem unsure of himself. He had never been so unsure of anything in his life, though.

"What do you want to do today," he asked her. He felt her stiffen just a little, and he knew then that they wouldn't be spending the day together.

"I actually have a lot of work I need to catch up on, Adrien. I've been kind of neglecting it lately." He knew that was true. She'd been spending most moments with him when she wasn't physically at work. They both probably needed some space, anyway. Nothing overbearing would last, he reminded himself. So, he nodded and kissed the top of her head.

"I understand. I probably need to return my father's phone calls anyway. I'm surprised he hasn't sent a cavalry after me already." That evoked a laugh from her that vibrated in his chest. He loved hearing her laugh. She pulled away and ran her fingers down his chest before scooping up her clothes and dressing. This would be the first Sunday that they didn't have coffee and donuts at her place in years. He took solace in knowing that she had woken up in his bed. He just hoped there'd be many more mornings like that in the future.

Marinette watched him from the corner of her eye. He ran a hand down his face as he picked up his phone and sighed. His stress was palpable, and she wasn't quite sure why he continued his relationship with his father if it brought him so much misery. Although, she couldn't possibly understand how complicated it was when she had such a great relationship with her own parents. Either way, she hated seeing him like that. She got dressed and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She probably looked like she hadn't slept at home, but she didn't care. She was just glad that for once they went to his place instead of hers. She hadn't been in his bedroom before now, but his bed had felt like sleeping on a slice of heaven. She didn't know how he could stand sleeping on her mattress when he had this once waiting for him at home.

"I have to go," she said regretfully. He stalked over and laid a kiss on her lips. It was one hell of a goodbye kiss.

"Be safe my little ladybug." She winked at him and gave him one last smoldering kiss before leaving his house. She rode the elevator down to the bottom floor and went to the curb to hail a taxi. There was no way she was going to walk thirty minutes home when she hadn't even had coffee yet. She looked up at the building wondering if he was looking down on her before climbing into the back of the cab.

It was about five o'clock when she finished working. She was proud of herself for getting so much done today. It hadn't taken her nearly as long to get caught up as she's thought it would. She thought about calling Adrien to see if he wanted to go to dinner, but decided instead to surprise him. She left her house to go pick up his favorite take out, and rode in a taxi to his building. She was just stepping into the elevator when her phone rang. It was Alya. She decided to call her back later. She wanted to make it up to Adrien for having to leave so suddenly this morning. Stepping off the elevator into the hallway leading to his door, Marinette could hear voices coming from around the corner. She had a bad feeling in her gut as she stepped around the corner and saw something that rooted her in place. There was Chloe, and she had her lips planted firmly on Adrien's. She gasped and dropped the bags of food on the ground. Chloe and Adrien broke apart and Chloe looked back at her with a conniving smile. Adrien's face had gone pale, void of any color. She turned on her heel to run away when Adrien called out to her.

"Marinette, wait!" She didn't stop to see what he had to say. She just rushed into the elevator, and she could see his figure rushing towards her through the haze of her tears as the doors closed in front of her. Once she could no longer see him, she sagged back against the wall of the elevator and tried to choke back her sobs. She put a hand over her mouth to muffle her cries as she rode all the way down to the bottom floor. She'd never been so thankful that the elevator hadn't stopped on any other floor on its descent.

She threw open her front door and stumbled inside. She couldn't stay here, he'd come looking for her, she knew it. She dialed Alya's number and immediately broke down all over again when her friend's voice answered on the other end of the line.

"Alya, can I come over?" She wasn't sure how she'd managed to choke the words out, but she desperately needed her best friend right now.

"Of course, Marinette. I'll get out the alcohol." With those as parting words, Marinette grabbed up some clothes and headed out the door before Adrien could come find her. She had so much pain slicing through her chest. She loved him, and he'd betrayed her. He was the last person she'd have thought would do something like that to her. Especially with how he acted towards her. As if she were the only thing that mattered. Clearly that was a lie. It was all a lie. Her eyes filled with fresh tears as she walked down an alley taking the shortcut to Alya's.


	12. Chapter 12

"What an insufferable asshole. I'll kill him if you want me to. I can make it look like an accident." Marinette gave Alya a little smile as she ranted in anger. She had the best friend a girl could ask for. "So, what are you going to do?" She wasn't sure what she should do. On one hand she wanted to scream at him and hit him, but on the other she just wanted him to disappear from her life.

"I really don't know, Alya. It just hurts so bad." She felt the continuous stream of tears flow down her face. Alya wrapped her up in a hug, and rocked her back and forth. She held Marinette for the longest time until there was a knock at the door. Alya stood up and stepped into the hallway to answer the door. Marinette stood on the inside of the living room doorway to eavesdrop.

"Alya, is Marinette here?" It was Adrien. She knew it was only a matter of time before he'd check here.

"No, but you have a lot of nerve showing up here looking for her." Alya sounded so angry, but she knew how fiercely loyal her best friend was.

"You don't understand. She didn't see what she thought she saw." He sounded frantic and scared. Good, he should be, Marinette thought to herself.

"I don't give a shit about your excuses, Adrien." Alya spat his name at him. "Leave my property or I'll call the cops on you." Marinette heard him sigh.

"Marinette, if you're in there, I just want a chance to explain. Please." His voice cracked at the end and she heard him walk away. New tears dampened her face. Alya rounded the corner and nearly bumped into her.

"I really hope you aren't thinking of giving him a chance," Alya said to her.

"Not a chance." Marinette meant it as well. There was no way she was giving him the time of day. He didn't deserve it, and she deserved better.

"Good. Now, let's drink." They stayed up for hours drinking and talking until Marinette was laughing until she couldn't breathe. She needed this, needed Alya. By the time she fell asleep on the couch, it was well after two in the morning.

Adrien paced back and forth in his living room. He tried going to sleep, but he couldn't. Especially not when he knew Marinette was out there somewhere crying over him. He looked everywhere he could think of, but she didn't seem to be anywhere. He was willing to bet she'd been over at Alya's, but Alya wouldn't let him in. He just wanted a chance to set things straight and win Marinette back. He can't believe he'd already lost her when he'd only had her a short amount of time. He sunk down onto the couch and hung his head. What was he going to do? He had to talk to her, had to see her. Laying back and staring up at the exposed beams in the ceiling, he tried coming up with ideas for how to get her attention. He just needed one good idea, and he was sure she'd give him a chance.

Marinette woke up to the sound of an alarm. Her head was pounding and her mouth felt so dry. She hadn't been this hungover since college. She was hungover, and she had to go to work. Why did she think drinking so much last night was a good idea? No matter that she was trying to numb the pain as much as she could. But, the morning was here, and now she had regrets. She sat up and brushed the throw blanket from her body. It was six thirty in the morning and she was already done with today. She stood up and nearly collapsed as she rushed to the bathroom to throw up. When she was done she brushed her teeth and splashed some cold water on her face. She just had to tough it out until five then she could go home and die.

When she got to work she sat at her desk and began gathering information for her next article assignment. It was mind-numbing work, but her mind already felt dull. She wasn't doing too well, and she knew that today, it showed.

"Ms. Dupain-Cheng?" Marinette looked up at her name being called and stood up.

"That's me," she waved, and the man came over to where she stood.

"These are for you," he held a bouquet in his hands and pushed them towards her. She took the vase, and the man walked off. She was getting stares from her colleagues so she hastily walked back to her desk. She pulled the card from the vase and began reading it. It was a note from Adrien.

"I love you. Please just let me explain. I promise there's an explanation. Please, little ladybug."

She blinked away her tears, and sat the vase on her desk. She should have ditched them, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Marinette read the card over and over again. The words were etched in her memory at this point. She took the card and tucked it under her keyboard. She'd just throw it away later. The day passed by slowly, and she was nearly dragging herself out the door by the time five o'clock hit. She stumbled home on legs that felt like they were holding up the weight of the world. When she'd safely locked her door behind her and kicked off her shoes, she traveled to the couch and fell onto it. A sob ripped from her throat and she lay there crying her hardest until she fell asleep.

She woke up a short time later to a pounding on her door. Without even checking to see who it was, she jerked the door open. There Adrien stood looking like he'd been to hell and back. She was sure she didn't look so great herself. She moved to slam the door in his face when his arm shot out and blocked the door.

"Just let me talk." He looked so desperate that she nearly gave in, but her bitter resentment won out.

"I don't want to hear it, Adrien. I want you to leave me alone. Go off and shove your tongue down Chloe's throat again. You don't need me." This time she did slam the door and locked it. He began banging on the door again, but this time she ignored it. He was yelling something, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. She walked away from the door and went into her bedroom as far from him as she could get. Her phone started ringing, and she knew it was him so she didn't even bother looking at it. He would eventually get tired and leave her alone. She just needed to wait him out.

Adrien sat outside her door and felt true loss. She was too sure of what she saw, and there was no way she was going to listen to him. He wasn't sure what to do at this point, but he knew he couldn't give up on her. He needed her far too much to let this be the end of things. He stood up and took one last look at her door before walking away. He'd be back, and he would find a way to get her to listen to him.

Marinette woke up at some point in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back to sleep. She was hurting so much, and she couldn't see her way out of it yet. She still could barely believe Adrien was capable of something like that. He seemed so sincere when he'd told her he loved her. She felt stupid for believing it every time it left his lips. She finished her cup of coffee and left for work. The walk to work was cold and dreary. October was left behind and they were now into November. She wrapped her coat tighter around her and headed down the street. Once she made it to work her hair was thoroughly windblown and her cheeks were pink from the cold. Walking over to her desk, she was upset to find a package sitting next to her computer. No doubt it was from Adrien, so she didn't even bother opening it. Her curiosity was eating away at her all day until she finally broke down and opened it. Inside lay a ladybug pin that had sparkling rubies. Another note was tucked inside the box.

"Don't give up on us. I love you so much. Just hear me out, I'm begging you."

She bit her lip and stashed that note with the other one. She started down at the pin and noticed how beautifully flawless it was. She closed the lid and set the box on her desk. She obviously couldn't accept it. She'd mail it back to him after lunch. Trying to push it out of her mind, she got to work and didn't stop until lunchtime. She met Alya at their usual spot and they sat down at a table near a window.

"How are you holding up," Alya asked, looking her friend over.

"I've been better, but I'll be okay." She could kick her Adrien habit. She would show him that she didn't need him. That she was stronger than this.

"Is he harassing you?" Marinette's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"How did you know?" Alya shrugged and sipped her drink.

"Just a hunch. Have you talked to him?" She thought back to their last encounter where she promptly slammed the door in his face. It was the last time she'd spoken to him, and she hadn't been very nice. What if he was right and there was some explanation for what she saw? No, no there was nothing he could say that could convince her otherwise.

"Very briefly. Enough to tell him to leave me alone." Truthfully, there was a part of her that was scared he'd go away. She was so angry and hurt, but she couldn't deny that half of her that still loved him.

"Good, maybe he'll listen." She didn't tell Alya about the flowers or pin. She didn't want her friend to get upset for her. She just wanted to deal with this in her own way and heal on her own time.

"Yeah, maybe." Lunch was uneventful as they talked about the Adrien situation the whole time. She was feeling mentally taxed by the time she got back to work, so she pretended to work the rest of the day while really she stayed wrapped up in her own thoughts. By the time she made it back home she was feeling ragged. She knew she needed to patrol again, but she was afraid of running into him. She wasn't sure she could handle that right now. It was dinnertime and she decided to order in something because she didn't feel up to cooking at the moment. Thirty minutes passed and there was a knock at the door. She grabbed cash from her purse and went to the door, opening it.

"How much do I owe you?" She glanced up from the wad of cash in her hand, and Adrien immediately grabbed her up and planted a kiss on her lips. She felt her muscles relaxing immediately, and found herself kissing him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he ushered them in the house without breaking the kiss. He hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He walked through her house, holding her up, and fell onto the couch with her. "This is a mistake," she murmured against his lips.

"No, this is right," he retaliated. There wasn't a sound but their heavy breathing and their lips clashing. He held onto her so tightly, and kissed her as if he hadn't kissed her in a thousand years. She let everything begin to click into place, and finally pulled back from the kiss. He was on top of her, surrounding her.

"I can't do this. I'm sorry I let myself get carried away, but this was definitely a mistake. One I won't be making again." She scrambled out from underneath him and scooted to the far end of the couch, not making eye contact.

"Will you just give me five minutes to lay it all out there before you make a decision?" He held his breath waiting for an answer.

"No, Adrien. I can't listen to your excuses. I need you to leave. Just please, don't make this any harder than it has to be." She refused to look at him, knowing she'd probably cave if she did. He slowly stood up.

"Somehow, some way, I'm going to prove to you that what you saw wasn't me kissing her." Marinette snorted and waved him away. He left through the front door, and then she was left alone with her thoughts. She spent the next five minutes kicking herself for kissing him. She knew better, and she did it anyway. How could she be so stupid? There was a knock at the door, and she took better care this time to check through the peephole. This time it was the take out. She paid for her food, then took the bag and placed it on the kitchen counter. She wasn't feeling very hungry now, but she'd barely eaten in the past couple of days. Choking down a third of her food, she checked her clock. It was eight o'clock, and she was going to do everything in her power to avoid him when she patrolled. She'd do it alone. She knew she could. No matter that she'd always had him by her side when they fought and patrolled.

When ten rolled around she left through her window and strolled to the park, bypassing their meeting place altogether. She didn't know if he'd be there, but she didn't want to find out. Patrol was lonely tonight. She almost preferred the angry, silent Cat than being totally alone. But, she knew going into this that she would be alone tonight, so she stood her ground. One turn around the park produced nothing of significance, so she started heading back the way she came. She just couldn't handle the emptiness she felt in order to endure patrol. She was thankful that she hadn't run into him. There was no way she would be able to tolerate him hovering and trying to explain away the fact that he'd kissed someone else. Chloe of all people. That's what crushed her the most. She'd fought for Adrien's attention from Chloe for years, and then she caught them kissing. It was like the biggest slap to the face. After she made it home she immediately changed into pajamas and climbed into bed. She felt so exhausted, mentally, physically, and emotionally. The only problem was that she couldn't sleep. She couldn't get that image of Adrien and Chloe out of her head. Every time she closed her eyes, it was there. Sighing and knowing she had no other choice, she opened her bedside table and found her sleep aids. She hadn't needed them in a while because falling asleep next to Adrien had been so easy, but she was alone again, and that was a hard pill to swallow. This whole thing had crashed and burned as quickly as it started. Swallowing the pill and laying back in bed, Marinette cried silent tears until she finally slipped into a deep sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Marinette walked through the doors of the small pub on the corner near her house. She was completely alone, but she wanted to drink. She knew it was a bad idea before she even walked into the place, but she didn't let it deter her. She would be able to walk home from here. It was only a five minute walk. She took a seat at the bar and ordered a strong drink.

"Are you sure you want to start out with something that strong," the bartender asked.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she responded. The bartender smirked, but poured her drink and passed it off to her.

"Having some life troubles?" The bartender was probably used to people spilling their guts to her. She was young and seemed nice enough, but Marinette wasn't in the mood to lay it all out there to a stranger.

"Something like that." That was as much as she was going to give. It was Friday night, and Marinette had promised Alya that she'd come over tomorrow for a girls' night in. It was exactly what she needed. She felt bad for leaving Nino out, but he was Adrien's best friend and it might be kind of awkward to have him there. Besides, she didn't get much time with just Alya anymore. It was always the four of them. When she finished her first drink she asked for another, and before long she was tipsy and feeling good. The bartender stood across from her watching her get drunk. She almost couldn't help herself, and the words came spilling out like word vomit.

"My boyfriend cheated on me with my least favorite person in the world. Why her? Of all people, why her?" She banged her head on the bar top then straightened up.

"Catch them in the act?" The bartender wasted no time getting down to business, and Marinette could tell she was a seasoned pro at helping people with their problems.

"I caught them kissing. But, I have no idea if anything else happened. I just saw them standing outside his apartment." Now that Marinette thought about it, she had no way of knowing if Chloe had been leaving after screwing her boyfriend. She supposed it was possible, and that possibility left her feeling even more desolate.

"Have you talked to him about it?" Marinette scoffed as if that was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard.

"What's the point? He's just going to give me some bullshit excuse and expect me to take him back." The bartender leaned across the counter, her ponytail falling over her shoulder.

"I'm not saying to take him back, but it's going to eat you alive until you get it all out in the open. Let him talk, then you give him all you've got. Bless him out if you have to. Just don't hold it all in." With that, she walked away to help another customer. Marinette was on her fifth drink and the world was starting to get soft around the edges. She pulled out her phone and stared down at Adrien's number. She was just drunk enough to do it, and she did. He answered on the second ring.

"Marinette? Is everything okay?" She felt her lip tremble at the sound of his voice.

"Adrien, I think we need to talk. I don't know if I can make it home, though." She could hear the slur of her words and knew she was more drunk than she thought she was.

"Where are you?" He sounded concerned, and it nearly pissed her off. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't even be here in the first place.

"I'm at that bar near my house. The one on the corner with the blue neon lights." He sighed into the phone, and she heard rustling.

"I'm on my way. Just stay there, and I'll help you get home." He hung up, and she stared down at her phone in disbelief. What did she just do? She'd been weak and had called him. And now, now he was on his way to see her. She was just drunk enough that she might throw things at him and call him names.

Half an hour later the door opened and he strode in looking for her. He spotted her sitting at the bar. Clinging to it for dear life was more like it. She was hammered, and he was glad she'd called him instead of trying to walk home alone. They both knew all too well how unsafe the streets of Paris could be at night. She might be Ladybug, but she'd be helpless being this drunk. He walked up to her and sat down next to her. Her head swiveled and her eyes connected with his. Those beautiful pale eyes that were looking at him with something akin to anger and longing. She still wanted him, he could tell. He just needed to figure out how to get her to hear him out. This could be a start.

"Ready to go home?" She nodded, and tried standing up, just to stumble and fall into him. He straightened her up and stood up beside her, holding her up.

"Good luck," the bartender called out, and they left the bar.

The cool air felt good on Marinette's skin. She should have waited for him outside instead of in that stuffy bar. Maybe then it would have sobered her up some, and she could think clearly. Her head was so muddled right now. He tried walking her in the direction of her house, but she stumbled far too much. That's when he lifted her up into his arms and began walking to her house. She snuggled against his chest, breathing him in. She would enjoy this for now until she could rant and rave once they made it to her house. She had a lot to say, and she'd say her piece before he had a chance to open his mouth. They made it to her house shortly and he took her keys from her, unlocking the front door and ushering her inside. Once she was deposited on the couch, he stood before her looking at her with a worried expression.

"Don't look at me like that," she spat out. Without him being so close, she felt her courage coming back, and she shakily stood to her feet. "You're an asshole, Adrien. I trusted you, and you completely threw it back in my face. Of all people you could have cheated on me with, you chose that spoiled little bitch. I don't know how I'd ever get past something like that, and I don't think I can. I can't look at you without seeing her. It hurts so much, so much." She felt hot tears burn her cheeks, and she knew then that her anguish was much stronger than her anger. "Why would you do that to me? Why did you hurt me?"

Adrien looked at Marinette standing there with her arms wrapped around her middle, crying and looking as if her heart had been ripped from her chest. He wanted to cross the distance between them and hold her, but he knew that probably would only result in her screaming at him.

"I didn't cheat on you, Marinette." And that was the truth. He hadn't done a thing, but he was still paying for it.

"Like hell you didn't. I saw you." He sighed and ran a hand down his face. Whether she'd remember this in the morning or not he wasn't sure, but he still had to try while she was giving him an opening to talk.

"I didn't cheat on you," he repeated. "Chloe came by unannounced and tried coming inside. I told her I was with you now, and that I didn't think it was appropriate for her to be in my apartment. That's when she kissed me. I was just pushing her away when you showed up. I didn't kiss her back. I swear, Marinette. I didn't betray you." She stood there staring at him, and he couldn't decipher her expression. He had no idea what she was thinking, and that drove him crazy. He wanted some kind of sign that she believed him.

"You didn't kiss her back," she asked, dropping her arms to her sides. She looked almost relieved, finally giving way to some expression that he could follow.

"No, I didn't. I would never. I don't feel that way about her. I've been in love with you since we were teenagers, Marinette. Granted, I didn't know that it was you at the time, but still. I've loved you and only you. Why would I do anything to jeopardize that once I finally had you?" He saw gears turning in her head as she thought it all over, and he was surprised when she started sobbing. He couldn't hold himself back anymore, and went to her. He wrapped her up in his arms and held her tight. She didn't fight him, and he felt so much relief that she was at least considering what he was saying. He expected her to put up much more of a fight than this.

Marinette continued crying into Adrien's chest for what felt like hours, though it couldn't have been more than about twenty minutes. Her sense of time was dulled by the alcohol. She felt his strong hands rubbing her back gently, and she wasn't sure that she had the strength to pull away even if she wanted to. She had many conflicting emotions right now, and she wasn't quite sure how to process them all. She shouldn't have had so much to drink, and she sorely regretted it. Once she felt like she'd cried all her tears, she fell silent, then wrapped her own arms around Adrien. She felt him sigh, and relax into her. He was still scared she wouldn't believe him. She really wanted to believe he was telling the truth, but there was that niggling doubt in the back of her head that was telling her to tread carefully. She pulled back enough to look up into his expressive green eyes. She saw so much love in them that it rocked her, nearly taking her breath. That small amount of doubt she'd felt dissipated. He was telling the truth, he had to be.

"I…I believe you," she whispered. He looked down at her not sure he'd heard her correctly.

"You do?" She nodded at him, and smiled sadly. "Then why do you look so upset still?"

"Because, Adrien. Chloe still kissed you, and I can't get the image out of my head. Every time I kiss you I'm going to think of her lips on you, and I don't know how to make it stop." She looked so angry then, and he wasn't sure how to help her. In her position he'd probably want to throttle whomever had kissed her.

"I understand, but just let me try to help you. I can't unless you let me try." He wasn't sure yet how he'd make this up to her, but he'd damn well try his hardest to make her forget that Chloe ever darkened his door that night.

"There's one more thing." She suddenly looked so unsure and frightened that he began to worry.

"What?" She grabbed his hand and led him to her bedroom. She rummaged around in a drawer before turning back to him. In her hands she held a pregnancy test. His heart dropped into his stomach. "You're not…?"

"I don't know yet. I haven't taken it, but it's been two weeks now so I think it's about time I find out." He nodded, and watched her walk off to the bathroom. She was in there for a few minutes before returning.

"What did it say?" She chuckled and patted him on the shoulder.

"You have to wait a bit first, Mr. Impatient." He had no idea how those things worked, but he knew that these would be the longest few minutes of his life. They sat down on the couch next to one another, waiting. It was quiet as they were both deep in thought. This would be the worst possible time for her to be pregnant. They were on such unsteady ground, and he knew she wasn't ready as much as he wasn't ready.

Marinette stared at the clock on her mantel waiting for the minute when she could go look at the little stick on her bathroom counter. Every tick of the clock made her throat tighten. She'd had so much to drink so she wasn't even totally sure this test would come out right, but she didn't want to wait anymore. It was two days shy of two weeks, but she thought enough time had passed for there to be some kind of result already. She was impatient to know, but at the same time she was scared to know. Is this how all people felt when taking a pregnancy test? She'd never had reason to use one before so she read over the pamphlet in the box over and over before taking the test. Once enough time had passed, she stood up on wobbly, drunken legs and went into the bathroom with Adrien on her heels. She stared down at the test, squinting at the little window.

"I can't see straight, what does it say?" She passed him the test, and he held it up close to his face.

"I don't know how to read these things, Marinette." She rolled her eyes and pulled out the pamphlet once more.

"It says if there's one line then I'm not pregnant. If there's two lines then I am." He nodded and glanced back down at the test. His hands shook as he stared down at the screen that held the direction their future would go in.

"It's…negative." He sighed and dropped the test onto the counter. She felt so much relief and blew out a breath that she'd been holding. She took a shaky step towards him, and pulled on his shirt until their lips met. She still felt that ray of pain hit her when she thought of Chloe's lips on his, but she was no longer mad at him. Her anger now was directed at Chloe. She had better hope Marinette never crossed her path again.

Adrien was surprised when Marinette pulled him in for a kiss. Her lips tasted of alcohol, but he'd missed kissing them all the same. He groaned and pulled her closer so their bodies were flush. He missed her so much. It had been hell not being with her. He'd understood her hurt and anger, because it would have looked bad from anyone's perspective, but he was just glad that she'd finally listened to what he had to say. He was afraid he'd never get the chance to see her or kiss her again.

"Don't you ever let Chloe do something like that again, Adrien. I mean it." She was drunk and unsteady on her feet, but he knew better than to call her adorable right now. She'd probably kick his ass if he did.

"Chloe is no longer welcome at my place. I made that very clear. I also asked her not to contact me again." He'd taken extra precaution when he'd asked her to fuck off from his life. She'd caused him trouble in the one area of his life where things had been going so well. That's not something he could easily forgive or forget.

"Okay, good. That's a start." A start? He had a feeling he'd be groveling for a while, but he was happy to do it if it meant she was letting him back in. He'd spend every day proving to her that he was the guy for her.

"I'll make it up to you somehow, little ladybug." He stroked her cheek and smoothed her hair back from her forehead. She was so damn beautiful. "I think it's time to get you into bed now." As if on cue, she yawned and didn't protest as he began leading her to her room. He helped her undress and tucked her into bed, kissing her one last time on the lips.

"Aren't you going to stay?" She looked upset that he had turned to leave.

"I didn't think you'd want me to so soon." He paused in her doorway and leaned against the framing.

"Don't be silly. Of course I want you to stay. Please don't leave me alone right now." He couldn't deny her and the pleading tone in her voice, so he began undressing and climbed into bed next to her. He held her close, waiting until she'd fallen asleep before he finally closed his eyes. He was happy, and he'd be damned if anyone else came between him and the woman he loved again. He'd fight like hell to have her. When he finally fell asleep it was close to two in the morning. He just couldn't stop looking at her and the way her lips curled in her sleep. It was if he was re-committing her face to memory, and he didn't want to miss a single detail. He slid into a dreamless nights sleep, determined to hold her closer than ever now.


	14. Chapter 14

Marinette woke to the sound of birds singing past her window. She groaned as her second horrible hangover as of late spilt her head wide open. She didn't want to get out of bed, but she could smell something wonderful wafting into her bedroom. Her stomach rumbled loudly in the quiet of her bedroom. She tried remembering what happened last night, when it all came rushing back. The bar, drinking far too much, Adrien, his confession as to what really happened that night. Then the pregnancy test. Her heart felt heavy after such a long night. She rolled out of bed feeling like she'd been hit by a truck. Her muscles and bones ached all over, and her stomach protested her quick movement. She rushed to the bathroom to empty her stomach, and stared at herself in the mirror. She looked horrible, and she hoped Adrien had gone home so he wouldn't see her like this. Walking into the kitchen, she found the source of the delicious smell. Adrien was there cooking breakfast and humming to himself. She watched him from the doorway for a while before announcing herself. She shuffled around to make some noise, and he turned to her with a smile that lit up his handsome face.

"Good morning, sleepy head." She groaned and dropped into a chair at the table. He brought over a cup of coffee which she graciously accepted.

"Thanks," she said as she dumped some sugar into the steaming coffee.

"How are you feeling?" He looked at her and she could tell that he was concerned by her appearance.

"Just peachy. I love waking up feeling like I've been run over by the entire Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade." She felt the sarcastic bite to her words, but she was feeling too shitty to care. Thankfully he just laughed and set a heaping plate in front of her. He must have gone to the store while she was sleeping because she knew she didn't have half the things in her kitchen that he'd made. She felt ravenous and began eating with enthusiasm. He sat across from her with his own plate and took a bite. She looked up to find him watching her. "What?"

"You're just beautiful." She almost wanted to roll her eyes because she knew very well how she looked right now. Her hair was a mess, she had bags under her eyes, and she had thrown on a robe before walking out into the kitchen. She looked as if she hadn't left her house in ages.

"Yeah, right." She laughed humorlessly and returned to her food.

"I mean it, Marinette. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever known." Now he was just trying to make up for the hell she'd been put through in this last week. She set her fork down and looked back at him.

"I'm hungover, and I haven't even brushed my hair. You don't have to lay it on so thick. I already accepted that none of what happened was your fault." He just smiled at her grouchy tone, and twirled a strand of her hair between his fingers.

"I still think you're beautiful. I'm not trying to do anything other than tell you how I feel." She sighed, knowing she was being a bitch, and tried to recompose herself.

"Sorry I'm so cranky. I don't handle hangovers very well." He shrugged and took another bite.

"It's okay. Your mood right now is nothing compared to my father's mood 24/7 so I can handle it." She knew he was right, but it only aided in making her feel more guilty. He had explained what really happened that night she saw him and Chloe kissing. If she believed him, and she did, there was no reason for her to be acting this way. She wanted nothing more than to tear Chloe's eyes out right now, and she was taking it out on him, which wasn't fair. She ate the rest of her food in silence, and was starting to feel a little more human. Now she just needed a shower and she'd feel much better.

Adrien hated that she was feeling so horribly. This wasn't how he'd pictured their reunion at all. He could hardly blame her, though. She was hungover and still hurting by what she saw that night, he knew that. He'd ignored three calls this morning from Chloe, and had yet to check the voicemails she'd left. Clearly she wasn't respecting his wish that she leave him alone. He didn't want to return home in fear she'd be waiting there for him. If she was going to be problematic in his relationship with Marinette, he could leave behind that decades long friendship without batting an eye. That's just how much he loved Marinette.

"How long are you planning on staying?" He looked up at the sound of her voice. Sitting back in his chair he thought it over.

"I guess until you kick me out," he said feeling slightly unsettled. What if she was kicking him out now?

"Okay, well I need a shower and some medicine for this headache. You can hang out for a while if you want. I don't really feel like being alone. I did promise Alya we'd hang out tonight though so I need to leave by five." He thought it was good that she was spending more time with Alya again, but he hated that he wouldn't have another night beside her. He'd be going home to sleep in his big bed all alone.

"I'll be out before five, then." She got up from the table and came around to where he was sitting. She just stood there a moment before bending down to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thanks for breakfast," she said, then walked out of the room. Soon he heard the shower running, and he wished he'd gotten an invitation to join her. Though, he supposed it was probably too soon for her to want that from him. They'd only just gotten back together. At least, he thought they were back together. That was still a little unclear to him. He supposed the best course of action was to take this slowly until he knew how she was feeling. He thought about the pregnancy test, then. What if it was wrong? He'd see if she'd take another one in a few more days, just to be safe. He had felt immense relief when it had been negative, but there was another feeling there, too. Almost a feeling of loss. It was a good thing that it was negative, but part of him wondered what if. He wondered then if she was feeling the same thing.

Marinette stood under the shower spray and breathed in deeply. The hot water felt heavenly against her body. She'd nearly invited him to join her, but decided it was too soon. She still needed time to process everything, and falling back into their intense pattern wouldn't clear her head any. And that's exactly what this whole thing had been so far. Intense. Fueled by their long lasting desire for one another. She began washing herself and thought some more about that pregnancy test. She had been happy to know it was negative, but she could see on his face when they read the results that he was having conflicting emotions. That kind of scared her a little. Was that something he wanted right now? It's not something she was prepared to give him for the foreseeable future. She was young and still had so much to see and do. But that look on his face, she couldn't forget it. First relief, then something else. Like he was almost disappointed. Shaking her head and stepping from the shower, she wrapped her robe around her body and towel-dried her hair. Maybe she just imagined it. She had been drunk after all. She would definitely be taking another test soon, though. She needed to make sure so there was no doubt. She walked out into the living room to find him flipping through a magazine she'd left on the coffee table.

"Feeling better?" She sat next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close.

"I'm definitely feeling more like myself now." Silence hung between them after that, but it wasn't uncomfortable. She wanted to talk to him about his reaction to the pregnancy test, but didn't know how to bring it up. She felt like it was important, though, and she needed to clear the air.

Adrien was deep in thought as she huddled up next to him. The floral smell of her shampoo wafted towards him. She always smelled so good. He was sure he probably smelled like cheese sometimes because of Plegg. It was just his luck that he'd end up with a kwami who had an affinity for smelly cheese. Adrien wanted to talk to her some more about the Chloe situation. He wanted to be honest about the fact that she'd contacted him so there were no secrets between them. He just wasn't sure how to go about it. It was still a touchy subject.

"So-"

"Well-" They both spoke at the same time.

"You go ahead," she said, clearly uncomfortable with what she was about to say. He needed to know what was going through her head right now.

"No, it's okay. You go first." She shook her head adamantly, so he sighed and opened his mouth a few times before speaking. "Chloe called me this morning. A few times. And left voicemails. I didn't answer her, but I just wanted you to know so you wouldn't think I was hiding anything from you. I'm truly done with her after what she did, I promise." She was so quiet and still that he'd thought she'd fallen asleep.

"I trust you. Thank you for telling me." Her voice was devoid of emotion, so he wasn't quite sure how she was feeling right now.

"And, what were you going to say?" He heard her sigh before she looked up at him.

"How do you feel about the pregnancy test being negative? I only ask because you looked almost…disappointed about it." Now it was his turn to grow quiet. He couldn't tell her that there was a part of him that did feel some kind of loss. She'd run so far away if he did.

"No, I'm not disappointed. It's a good thing. We're both not in the place right now to bring someone else into the world." She sagged against him, and now he felt true disappointment. Would having a kid with him be the worst thing in the world? He didn't think so. He hid his feelings from her, and when she smiled up at him, he smiled back.

It was nearing five o'clock when Adrien gave her a long kiss goodbye. She'd missed kissing him. She'd missed everything about him. It hadn't been a very long time, but the time she'd gone without him had been some of the most excruciating days of her life. She hadn't slept very well, and had gotten drunk twice which was so unlike her. She dressed in some comfy clothes and headed out the door to Alya's house. She was going to be late. As usual.

"Come in, come in," Alya fussed over her as she entered. She hadn't had a chance to tell Alya that she'd made up with Adrien yet, but knew she'd have to soon. They went into the living room and crashed onto the couch. "So, tell me what's been going on with you since the last time you were here." Marinette hesitated, but decided to be honest.

"I talked to Adrien." She said the words in a rush, and felt much better just getting it off her chest.

"And?"

"And, he told me that Chloe showed up at his house, he told her that we were dating, and she kissed him. He said he didn't kiss her back, and was trying to push her away when I showed up." Alya thought for a moment before speaking again.

"Do you believe him?" Marinette just nodded. She did believe him. She saw in his eyes that he was telling the truth. "Well, if you're sure, then I'll forgive him. Just this once."

"I am sure. I would know if he was lying to me. Apparently she called him a few times today. He didn't answer, but I'm afraid she's not done causing problems." Her face twisted in disgust.

"You think she's going to try something again?" She wanted to say no, but she knew Chloe better than that. She'd been chasing after Adrien since the day Marinette met him. She wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"I'm sure she will. I just have to trust Adrien to put a stop to it. There's not much else I can do." The idea that, for once, she couldn't see her way out of a problem didn't sit right with her.

"Well, let's just hope he does the right thing." They chatted for a while before Alya broke out some wine and movies. They drank and laughed their way through the movies, and for that moment, Marinette forgot all about her troubles.

It was nearly one in the morning when she stumbled through her doorway. She'd taken a cab home, not wanting to stumble around in the dark while tipsy. She hadn't allowed herself to drink too much tonight. Not after how much she'd consumed the night before. She saw that she'd left her phone on her kitchen counter, and picked it up. She had a few texts from Adrien, and one call from her parents. She kicked off her shoes then went to lay in bed. She opened the messages from Adrien and smiled. They were texts expressing his love for her, and also reminding her about Sunday coffee. She'd nearly forgotten about it because they'd missed last time. She sent him a quick text and lay her phone next to her on the bed. She was worried about Chloe causing trouble, but Adrien had her heart. She had to try to get past what happened if she wanted to continue anything with him. He felt worth it, so she'd try her damnedest to move on. When her phone vibrated she picked it up and opened the message.

Adrien: I'll see you in the morning my little ladybug. I love you.

She smiled again and put her phone on the bedside table before rolling over and falling asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

"So, how was your night with Alya?" Marinette sipped her coffee before answering.

"It was fun. We drank some wine, watched some horrible movies. Typical Marinette and Alya things." Back in college they used to get together every weekend for girl's night in. It had been happening less and less frequently lately. "What about you? What did you do all night?" She knew he'd had just as much trouble sleeping as she did, so he was no doubt awake for most of it.

"I went through emails from my father, read some from a book I picked up at the library, then tried to fall asleep for hours to no avail. It was an exciting evening as you can tell." She would have preferred that he'd been here. She slept better when he was next to her.

"Maybe you can stay tonight," she asked hesitantly. His entire face lit up.

"I'd love to." They spent the morning sipping coffee and eating donuts that Adrien had picked up on his way over. Everything felt almost normal. Almost. There was still the matter of Chloe to deal with. She still couldn't get that image of her kissing Adrien out of her head. It burned her alive to think about it, so she tried pushing it out of her mind. Dwelling on it was only going to make her go crazy.

Adrien looked at Marinette and knew she was thinking deeply about something. Her forehead was wrinkled in thought, and she was frowning. Whatever she was thinking of couldn't be very pleasant. While they sat on the couch talking, he turned towards her abruptly. He knew that he couldn't have helped what happened, but he still felt like shit that it had hurt Marinette so badly. He didn't know how to make up for it, but he was going to try.

"You know I love you, right," he asked, looking into her bright blue eyes that looked almost like little galaxies.

"Of course. I love you, too." She looked at him in question, no doubt wondering what he was getting at.

"Let me make all this up to you. A trip. Just you and me." He thought maybe getting away for a few days would help level things out again.

"Make it up to me? You don't have to do that. I know now that it wasn't your fault. I don't blame you for what happened, so you don't have to try so hard to make up for anything. My problem isn't with you." She spoke gently and smiled at him lovingly. He felt relief in knowing that she didn't hold him responsible, but he was sure the situation still bothered her because she grew very quiet at times as if her brain was working on overdrive.

"Then what is the problem? I want to help so we can completely move past this. I don't want it hanging between us anymore."

"The problem is that you told Chloe you were with me, and she still tried to kiss you. I never did like her, but this just proves how detached from simple human decency she is. I would maybe be more understanding if she hadn't known we were dating, but you told her, and that was her reaction. I have a big problem with that." She seemed to be getting worked up talking about it, and he didn't know what else to do. Short of letting Marinette kick her ass, he wasn't sure if anything would help. And, he definitely wasn't going to let that happen. Chloe would press charges in a heartbeat, and it wouldn't truly make Marinette feel any better. She just wasn't that kind of person.

"I've known her a long time. I've known how she's felt about me for a long time. I should have set boundaries a long time ago to prevent this from happening," he said sullenly.

"Don't blame yourself, Adrien. This isn't on you, okay?" He knew it wasn't his fault, but he still hurt to know it hurt her. He loved her, and he didn't want to see her upset. But, he knew there was nothing more he could do. This was Marinette's personal battle to fight, and he was just caught in the middle of it for now. All he could do was be there for her until she let it go.

Marinette knew she sounded bitter. She didn't blame Adrien a bit for what happened, but she did blame Chloe. She had to get over this if she wanted a good relationship with him. She had to move on. It would be hard, but she'd try because she loved him. She'd vent to Alya, and stop putting it on Adrien. Any time she mentioned that it upset her, he took all the blame on himself and that wasn't her intention at all. She didn't want him to blame himself for being kissed without permission. She felt like an idiot for ever thinking he'd do something like that to her, but she didn't know what else to think when she saw it.

"I'll stop blaming myself. But there's something I want you to do for me, too." She gestured for him to go on. She'd do nearly anything he asked of her. Anything at all.

"I want you to still go on a trip with me. I won't grovel or make up for what happened anymore, but I still think it'll be good for us to get away. What do you say?" He looked like a hopeful little boy in that moment, and Marinette found herself smiling widely.

"Deal. Did you have anywhere in mind?" He scratched his chin and looked worlds away as he thought long and hard about where to take her.

"What if we go to the coast? I know it isn't anything fancy, but I haven't been since I was little. I remember going with my mom once." His face took on a sort of melancholy, and she knew the mention of his mom was still a sore spot. She still hadn't been found after all these years.

"The coast sounds perfect," Marinette said, taking his hand in hers. They were quiet for a while as he took her into his arms and held her close. Things were going to be okay, she told herself. They had to be.

That night Adrien decided to take Marinette out for dinner. They hadn't really gone out on any real dates since they started this thing, and he wanted this to be as normal a relationship as possible. Even if they were superheroes, they could do normal. Right? He went back home to get dressed before driving over to pick up Marinette. She was dressed in a sapphire blue dress that made her eyes seem even more electric. He looked her up and down as they stood on her porch, and he nearly said fuck it to dinner just to take her inside and peel off her dress. In the end, he took her hand and led her to the car instead. The anticipation would be worth it.

"Where are we going?" She seemed excited, and he was glad that they were having a real date. They both needed it desperately.

"That, my little ladybug, is a surprise." He smirked at her sitting next to him in the passenger seat, and pulled out of her driveway.

"Good thing I love surprises," she said, smiling back.

Within twenty minutes they were pulling up at a nice restaurant that Marinette had always wanted to go to. It was a little Italian restaurant that she'd always heard great things about, but she never had anyone to go with. She had thought of asking Alya, but Alya wasn't too keen on Italian food. So, her dream of coming here was finally coming to fruition.

"Adrien, I've always wanted to come here!" He smiled easily as he pulled up to the front door to let the valet park the car. Someone opened her door and she stepped out, waiting for Adrien to come around the car. He took her arm and they walked in. As soon as he came in, the hostess looked panicked and came around to greet them.

"Mr. Agreste, how nice of you to dine with us tonight. I'll take you to your table." Marinette looked around to see other people waiting and shooting them daggers. This was no doubt a restaurant he frequented with his father, and they were preferred members. It was nice to be seated immediately, but she felt guilty that there were people waiting for their tables to open up. Deciding not to let anything ruin her night out with Adrien, she followed the hostess to a table in front of a window overlooking a stunning sunset view. She gasped at the image before her before sitting down. Once Adrien was across from her, she looked at him with appreciation. He did so much for her, cared so much. It was obvious in the way that he acted with her that he would never betray her. She felt more guilt pummel her at the way she'd treated him after what happened. She didn't even let him try to explain himself. She just shut him out. That was how she'd always handled conflict. Once her and Alya had fought when they were in college, and they didn't talk for almost two weeks. It wasn't the best way to handle things, she admitted. It certainly seemed to cause more problems than not.

"What's on your mind?" She found that he asked her that a lot, and she wondered if she was so easy to read.

"Just taking all this in. This place is beautiful." She looked around at the décor and once more looked back at the sunset. It had nearly dipped below the horizon, but the sky was still looked like it was on fire with its pinks and oranges.

"I come here a lot with my father for business meetings." He stuck his tongue out, and she laughed. "It feels good to come here to have dinner with someone other than him." Marinette felt so much tension in his words. He'd never gotten along with his father, but she sensed that sadness in him. He wanted a good relationship with his father, but he'd resigned himself to never having that. She wanted to hug him tightly.

"Then I'm glad you came here with me." She smiled as a waiter approached their table with a bottle of wine.

"Try it and see if you like it," Adrien prodded. She took a sip and closed her eyes before nodding. "Go ahead and leave the bottle here." The waiter poured them each a glass then left the table. They looked over their menus before Marinette looked up in shock. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing here is under fifty dollars. They think very highly of their food." Adrien just laughed loudly and leaned forward.

"To be fair, it's really good food. Do you know what you want yet?" His menu was closed signaling that he'd already decided.

"Anything you want to recommend?" He rattled off a list of a few entrees, and she decided to pick one at random. By the time the waiter returned, they were able to give their order with no problems. Marinette looked around once more, and suddenly felt out of place. Everyone here was dressed so nicely, and she'd just pulled a dress from the back of her closet. She shifted in her seat, and tried focusing on Adrien once more. He was looking out the window at the lights that shone in the distance. Paris always did have amazing lighting.

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be someone else?" The question took her off guard, so she thought it over before answering.

"Sometimes, but I got pretty lucky with the life I have now, so I wouldn't actually want to be anyone other than me. Why do you ask?" He looked at her then with a certain tenderness.

"Just a question. There are times that I wonder what it'd have been like growing up under more normal circumstances. I never went without, but I feel like I missed out on things, too. It wasn't even until I met you that I'd been to school. There's just so much I'd change if I could." Marinette wondered if their current setting was the cause of his train of thought.

"You can't go back and change anything, but you can make things different now. That's really all you can do, Adrien." His eyes shifted away from her, and he sighed.

"No, you're right. Which is why I moved out as soon as I could. I was determined to make my own way and do my own thing for once in my life. It seems to be working out pretty well so far. I mean, I did end up with you, after all." She blushed at the heat in his eyes. It had been a while since they'd been together, but she knew tonight would change that. Tonight felt special, and she wanted to savor every moment of it.

"Well-"

"Oh my God, Adrien! Who knew you'd be here tonight." Marinette immediately went on the defense. What was she doing here?

"Chloe." Adrien looked uncomfortable as he greeted her. How had Marinette not seen his disinterest in her before?

"What are you doing here tonight? Meeting your father?" Chloe was turned away from her, pretending she wasn't even here.

"No, I'm here with Marinette. We're just trying to enjoy a nice dinner. Thanks for stopping by." His words should have ended the conversation, but didn't. Chloe rambled for a while, and Marinette could feel herself growing angrier with every passing second in her presence. Her fists were clenched under the table, and she looked out the window to try and calm herself. The lights of Paris suddenly looked different to her. Less mesmerizing and more mocking. As if their twinkling were laughter at her situation. She cleared her throat and announced that she was going to the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and looked in the mirror. Her face was beet red and she was shaking. She had to leave the table before she said something nasty. She was in disbelief that Chloe would even stop at their table after what she had done. It was as if she were rubbing it in Marinette's face. Marinette took a few calming breaths and left the bathroom feeling more composed. Chloe was just walking away when she sat down. Adrien looked at her warily, and reached a hand across the table to grab hers. "I'm really sorry about that."

"It's okay. Not your fault." She reminded herself that she was here to enjoy a nice dinner with him, so she smiled and squeezed his hand. "Let's just forget about it, okay?" He looked surprised, but didn't argue.

Adrien was relieved to see that Marinette had come back to the table in a better mood than when she'd left. He was certain that she was going to rip Chloe's hair out if she didn't leave the table. She had looked so pissed off, and he had felt torn about what to do to disengage from the situation. It didn't matter how bored he'd sounded, Chloe just wouldn't stop talking. He knew she was doing it to get a rise out of Marinette, and that upset him. Chloe was supposed to have been his friend. She should be happy for him rather than trying to sabotage his relationship. Just then, their food arrived and it seemed they both put aside what had just happened for the moment.

"This looks so good," Marinette said as she looked down at her plate of pasta. He looked at his own food and felt his mouth water. He was more hungry than he'd realized. They ate in silence for a while when he felt Marinette's foot toying with his. He looked up to see a sideways grin on her face. He set his fork down and smiled back. Two could play this game. He slipped his shoe off under the table and began trailing it up her leg. He saw her shiver and it encouraged him. His foot travelled higher and higher until he slipped it underneath her dress and rested right between her legs. She let out a squeal of surprise, drawing the eyes of other patrons around them. Marinette just smiled at them and waved her hand.

"Just really enjoying this food," she croaked out. Adrien barely stopped himself from laughing. The other diners gave her an odd look, but returned to their own food. She looked back at him with eyes wide as saucers, and then narrowed her eyes. "You're dead when we get home." This time he didn't stop himself from laughing. His foot still rested between her legs, and he pushed it against her once more. She bit her lip before grabbing his foot and pushing it to the floor. "So dead." Adrien just winked at her. He was so glad that Chloe's intrusion on their night hadn't completely blown things for the evening. He had so so many plans for this night.

Marinette was shocked that he'd be so brazen in this restaurant of all places. It was times like these that she could see Cat coming out in him. He was such a reserved person until he transformed. Then it was as if this new, hidden side of him came out. She really liked that side of him, and she hoped she could help bring it out in him more. They finished dinner and went outside to wait for the car. Adrien refused to let her pay for her half of the meal, and she hated to think of how much it all had cost. It was the most expensive place she'd ever eaten. Baker's daughters didn't typically mingle with the elite. Adrien was such an exception. She watched Paris pass her by as they drove in the direction of her house. She was glad he was staying tonight. It had been so lonely without him, she had to admit. She didn't do as well on her own as she'd thought she did. When they finally pulled up to her house, she was feeling butterflies in her stomach. It was ridiculous. She'd slept with him a dozen times before, but this time felt different. It felt like the first time all over again.

"After you, my lady," he said as he held her front door open. She slipped inside and immediately took her heels off at the door. It was a habit she'd gotten into thanks to her parents. She turned to him as he closed the door behind him, and when his eyes met hers she felt electricity crackle in the air. He stalked over to her and wrapped her up in his arms before planting his lips on hers. He walked them backwards through the living room into her bedroom. When the backs of her legs hit her bed, she tumbled onto it. She saw his eyes darken with desire as he looked her up and down. "You truly are a beautiful woman, Marinette." She found herself blushing in spite of herself.

"And you're handsome as hell." She thought she saw a bit of a blush on his face, but it was too dark to tell. The only light in the room came from the moon cast in through her window. "I want you."

"I need you," he retorted. To hell with it. She needed him, too. She sat up and stuck her fingers into his pants, pulling him forward until he was standing directly in front of her.

When she looked up at him with that pouty face he could barely handle it. She was gorgeous, and he felt so lucky to have her in his life. Things hadn't been easy from the beginning, but they were going to make it. He could feel it. He pulled her from the bed and spun her around, his hand on the zipper of her dress. He slowly lowered it, and her dress fell around her in a cascade of blue. It looked as if she were stepping out from an ethereal waterfall. She turned her head to look over her shoulder at him. Her eyes looked wicked and were filled with lust. He kissed her shoulder and moved to kiss the other.

"How much have you missed me," he asked in a raspy voice.

"About as much as I'd miss the sun in the winter." Wait, was that a compliment? Not an insult this time? Those words felt so good to hear that he found himself spinning her back around so he could kiss her sweet little mouth. He slipped her bra and panties down her body, and pushed her back on the bed. He stood back to unbutton his shirt. Soon, he was standing before her with nothing on.

"Let me show you just how much I've missed you," he whispered, and pounced.

They lay there on their sides looking into each other's eyes, neither one wanting to blink in fear they'd miss something. Marinette felt fully loved and fully ravaged. She barely had the energy to keep her heavy eyelids open. He had been different tonight. He felt like a mix of her sweet Adrian and intense Cat. Like the two were finally becoming one. It had been almost too much to see both sides of him working together to give her pleasure.

"Adrien," she whispered against his lips.

"What," he asked in answer. She smiled and raised a tired hand to cup his face.

"Things are good between us. I like that." His answering smile nearly broke her heart. He smiled so much more now, and it was easily one of her favorite sights.

"So do I, little ladybug." He yawned, and she reciprocated.

"Let's be together always."

"Always. I promise," he barely had time to say before his eyes were closed and he was asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

So, the holidays are coming up. Normally I write ahead, but I've been travelling and haven't had a chance to write much. This will probably be the last chapter for at little while until I'm done with holiday stuff. Thanks for sticking with me. ;)

"So, as you can see, this would be very good for business." Adrien stared out the forty-fifth windows of his father's empire, not paying a bit of attention to what was going on in the room. He had been feeling more generous than usual, and agreed to come to this boring meeting as "practice" for when he took over. It didn't matter how many times he'd told his father he wasn't taking over, his father just pretended as if he hadn't heard him.

"Adrien? Are you even listening?" His attention zapped back to the table in which they all sat at the mention of his name.

"I'm listening. What's up?" He leaned back in the chair and folded his hands.

"What's up? What's up is that we need to talk out in the hallway. Now. Excuse us gentlemen." His father stood to his feet and he followed. Once out in the hallway, his father spun on him and pointed a finger in his face. "How dare you embarrass me in there? I brought you here so you could learn. Not so you could daydream. If you're going to make a joke out of what I've built, don't bother showing up to the office again." His father stomped off back into the meeting room, the door slamming behind him. Adrien looked down at his feet. He would never be able to live up to what his father expected of him. He'd never make his father happy. So, he just didn't try anymore. It always ended in an argument when he did. He spun on his heel and began walking to the elevator. He knew his father's words were just fluff. He'd be trying to corral him into the building again by tomorrow. How he wished his father would just let him go. Clearing his head, he started thinking about Marinette. She'd be at work right now, so he couldn't see her. Correction, she wouldn't allow him to come see her. Her boss and his father were good friends, and he could easily get in. He didn't want to get her into trouble, so he didn't push the issue.

"Good morning, Adrien." He looked up as the elevator opened and Nathalie stepped off.

"Morning, Nathalie." He clambered onto the elevator and pushed the ground floor button. She watched him as the doors closed. He took a deep breath when he finally stepped outside. He hated that building with all that he was. He walked through the parking lot until he found his car, and he climbed in. Banging his hands on the steering wheel, he breathed out heavily and glared out the windshield. He wanted to be free. The only time he ever felt free was when he was in disguise as Cat Noir. He wanted to feel that free just being him. The only time he truly felt free aside from walking around as Cat was when he was with Marinette. He finally felt he could be himself with her. Driving back home, he was consumed with thoughts of her. The way her face crinkled when she smiled, how she laughed even at his lame jokes, the way her hair spilled out across the pillow, inky and dark as night. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, and the last thing he remembered was her smile before everything blacked out.

Marinette was taking notes for her next article assignment when her phone began vibrating. She looked down at it to see that Nino was calling her. It was very odd seeing that they didn't talk all that much outside of when they all hung out. She suddenly got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Hello," she answered.

"Hey, M. Is there any way you could leave early? Like, right now?" Her heart tightened. Something was wrong.

"I don't know, I'd have to check with my boss. Why?" Her words sounded winded and quiet.

"It's Adrien. He was in an accident. I think he's going to be okay, but he still needs you here." She felt sick as she jumped to her feet.

"I'll be there. Let me go talk to my boss." She hung up the phone and ventured to her boss' office. She knocked and heard a voice calling out to her, telling her to come in.

"Marinette, what can I do for you?"

"My boyfriend was just in an accident. I need to get to the hospital." Her boss just looked at her without saying anything. "Gabriel Agreste's son, Adrien." Her boss' face immediately shifted.

"Oh, my. Yes, please go and keep me posted." Marinette nodded and rushed back to her desk to gather her things. She had felt bad using the Agreste's to get out of work, but this was an emergency. She needed to be there for Adrien. Hailing a cab as she stepped out into the street, Marinette climbed into a back seat and gave the hospital as her location. She sat back feeling her chest constrict. The entire ride there felt like a hundred years had passed, they were moving so slowly. When she finally got there, she paid for the taxi then rushed inside. She found Nino sitting in a chair in the waiting room. She ran up to him and he jumped to his feet. They hugged each other tightly before sitting down.

"Any news?" She looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"No. Not other than a nurse coming out here to say that he was going to live. I don't know what they're doing back there if he's okay, though." Nino looked unsure and that killed her hope. If he felt some apprehension, then what hope did she have? She chewed on her nails as she waited with Nino. About an hour had passed before Adrien's father walked through the doors. Marinette poked Nino then angled her head in Mr. Agreste's direction. He had gone to the front desk, and was talking with a nurse. Almost immediately he followed the nurse through the big double doors and they disappeared.

"What the hell? We've been waiting out here, and he just gets to go back?" Marinette felt irritation flaring up.

"Well, he is his father." Nino was right, but she still didn't like it. She wanted, no, needed, to see him. She needed to see with her own eyes that he was okay. They waited a while before Mr. Agreste came back through the doors again. He was on his phone and he was out the front door before Marinette could stop him. She looked at Nino, feeling helpless. He just hung his head, and they continued waiting. Three more hours passed before anyone came out to talk to them. A nurse approached them.

"Are you with Adrien Agreste?" They nodded their heads in unison. "He was moved to the fifth floor in room two-hundred and two." The nurse walked off after giving them the information, and they wasted no time heading towards an elevator. Marinette was shaking as they watched the elevator count down to the ground floor.

Adrien lie in the hospital bed trying to get comfortable. He'd been banged up pretty bad, but he was still alive. His father had come in to see him, and left after he confirmed that Adrien would live. He was as cold as ever, and Adrien wondered why he even bothered coming in the first place. Looking out the window, he wondered how long he was going to be here. He hated hospitals, and the less time he'd have to spend here the better. There was a knock at his door and Marinette and Nino filed in. He'd never been so happy to see them. Especially Marinette. He'd thought of her the whole time he'd been down in the surgery. They looked him over and monitored him for internal bleeding for hours. He'd walked away with scrapes. He was lucky.

"Adrien," Marinette said softly as she ran over to him. She stood at his bedside looking down at him. His side ached in the worst way, but he still wanted to hug her. "Are you okay?"

"I feel like shit, but other than that I'm fine." He tried sitting up, but clutched his side in pain. Marinette fussed over him and gently pushed him back down onto the bed.

"Just get some rest, Adrien." She looked as if she wanted to cry, and that made his chest ache. He didn't want her crying over him, especially not when he was going to be perfectly okay. Nino was sitting in a chair silently. He looked at his friend and saw in his face how worried he'd been.

"Hey, man. I'll be all good soon. This is nothing." Nino nodded, but didn't say anything. Marinette pulled up a chair and sat next to him. She grabbed his hand and held it so tightly he could feel their pulses beating together.

He said he looked worse than he felt, but Marinette didn't know if she believed it. His face had bandages from cuts, and he was favoring one side over the other. He looked awful, but she was glad to see that he was alive and talking. She wanted to feel relieved that he was going to be alright, but she still felt shell-shocked and scared. She could have lost him, and what would she do then?

"Hey, are you okay?" She looked up from their intertwined hands and saw him frowning in concern. Great, he was in the hospital and was checking up on her. This was totally backwards.

"Yeah, all's good here," she said, brightening up. She didn't want him to think there was any cause for worry. She often got so trapped in her own head that she ended up following the rabbit hole down and down into uncharted territory. She really had to stop doing that.

"How long can you stay?" He lifted a hand to play with her hair, and she moved into his touch.

"I can stay as long as you need me to," she replied. She had no intention of leaving his side, and she knew her boss wouldn't care. Remembering that she promised to let her boss know how things were going, she excused herself and slipped out of the room. Heading to get some coffee, she dialed her work number and got the voicemail. "Hi, this is Marinette. I'm at the hospital now, but I just wanted to let you know that Adrien will be alright." She ended the call and poured a cup of coffee before adding sugar. She sank back against the counter and felt her eyes beginning to water. She wouldn't let Adrien see her cry right now, but she could do it here and return to him feeling less wound up. The tears came hot and fast, soaking her cheeks. She sniffled, but it turned into a sob and she let it all go. Holding a hand to her mouth to muffle her cries, she felt foolish when someone walked in. They took one look at her, and she saw pity.

"It's never easy," they said before crossing the room to pour their own coffee.

"What isn't easy," she asked, running the back of her hand across her face to rid herself of the tears.

"Losing someone. It's just never easy." Marinette stared them down for a moment before replying.

"I haven't lost anyone. It's just the idea that I could have that's making me feel so emotional." She felt awkward then as the person nodded and left the room. Feeling a little relieved of strong emotion, she returned to Adrien's hospital room.

Adrien took one look at her face, and he could tell she'd been crying. The sight nearly broke his heart. He was going to be alright, so why did both her and Nino look so distraught? It puzzled him, but he had to admit that he felt lucky to have such loyal and caring people in his life. It kind of made up for his father's bullshit. She sat down next to him again. She'd gone for coffee, and to cry. God, he hated seeing her cry.

"Can I get you anything?" Marinette looked at him with her wide blue eyes, and he felt love flood throughout his body. He could see in the deepest depths of her eyes that she loved him just as much as he loved her. That's really all he wanted in life. He had everything he ever needed, but this kind of love had been missing from his life. He hadn't felt love since the day his mom disappeared.

"No, I'm fine. Just stay here by my side." She smiled at him then, and he found himself smiling back. Nino stood then and went to the other side of his bed.

"I hate to leave, but I have to be at work in an hour. I'll come back and see you tomorrow, okay?" He looked reluctant to leave, but Adrien just waved him away.

"I'm hoping to be out of here by tomorrow so I'll let you know where to go." Nino nodded and left the room. Then it was just the two of them. He turned his head to look at her, and found her staring. "I'm really going to be okay, little ladybug."

"I know. It's just…it could have been much worse. You could have been gone forever, and then I'd be so lost, Adrien." He stroked her face when she gave him that pained expression. Her face softened almost immediately.

"But, I'm still here, and I'm barely hurt. Don't think about what could have happened, Marinette. It's just going to make you feel worse."

Marinette knew he was right. She was thinking far too much about this, but she almost couldn't help herself. She felt so many emotions when she'd been waiting to hear something all ranging from fear to deep sadness. It still felt a little surreal thought she was sitting right next to him looking at his battered body. She sighed and looked around the room. It was a typical, standard hospital room. She was surprised that his father hadn't had him moved to a more private room, but if his leaving so abruptly told her anything, it was that he more than likely wouldn't be coming back.

"I'm here!" Alya came flying through the door of the hospital room holding a basket full of baked goods and treats. "I'm here." She looked as if she were trying to catch her breath. She no doubt ran all the way here.

"Alya, good to see you," Adrien said with a smile. She looked at him in horror.

"Nino said you were fine, but you don't look fine. Jesus Christ." Marinette had to admit that it looked pretty bad. His right eye was swollen shut and the bandages on his face were starting to bleed through. She knew it looked worse than it was by Adrien's own confession, but she'd had the same reaction Alya had when first seeing him.

"Oh, it's not too bad. I'll be better in no time." His easygoing smile never faltered, and she wondered how he could smile so readily at a time like this. Surely he was in pain.

"Well let's be thankful for that," Alya said, taking a seat next to Marinette after sitting the basket on the table next to his bedside. "Sorry I showed up so late. I couldn't get out of work no matter how much I explained the situation to them."

"Don't worry about it. It's not like I'm dying or anything." His attempt at a joke fell flat and the room fell silent.

Okay, so maybe joking about dying wasn't Adrien's best joke, he'd admit that. He should have just kept his mouth shut. He could see on Marinette's face that she was worried all over again. He was trying to think of something to say to break the silence in the room when a nurse came in to check on him. She asked him a few questions about his level of pain, and left the room to get supplies to redress his wounds. When she returned, Marinette took his hand. He knew this would probably sting, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He's been scratched up fighting villains before. This was the same thing, only slightly worse. The nurse began pulling the old dressings from his face then started cleaning the wounds. He winced at the first touch on his face. His face. He'd be out of work for a while because of this, and hoped there wouldn't be any scars. As much as he hated to admit it, his face was his livelihood. He sat there patiently as the nurse finished up and left the room. Marinette, Alya, and Adrien chatted for a while before Alya announced that she needed to leave. Once again it was just him and Marinette.

"I'm sorry we won't get to go on our trip this weekend," she said looking apologetic.

"What are you talking about? Of course we're still going to go." She stared at him as if he were crazy.

"You're joking, right?" He most certainly wasn't joking. He wasn't going to let this little setback keep him from enjoying a weekend away with her. He promised her they'd go, so they were going to go.

"Not in the slightest."

"We can't possibly go. You aren't going to be healed up enough in time." She looked at him with worry, and he sighed because he knew she was right.

"Okay, fine. But I swear to you, we're going on that trip when I get better."

He was always worrying over her even when he should be worried about himself. Going on a trip would have been nice, but her main concern was making sure he didn't push himself, and she knew he'd try. He wasn't the type to take it easy, but that's exactly what he needed right now. Marinette felt herself yawn. How long had she been here? The sky beyond the window was growing dark. She immediately felt immense guilt that she hadn't been on patrol in a long time. She'd been so wrapped up in Adrien that she'd forgotten all about it. She'd have to go soon, and she'd have to do it alone. He wasn't in any condition to patrol.

"If you're tired, you should go home." She was drawn from her thoughts at the sound of his voice. She didn't want to leave him, but it was getting dark out.

"Visiting hours will be over soon. I'll just leave then." They talked for a while, him wincing when she made him laugh, and before long a voice called over the intercom to announce the end of visitation hours. She stood to her feet and leaned over, placing a delicate kiss on his lips. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow, little ladybug." That endearment would never grow old.

"Until tomorrow." She left the building and shivered. It was getting so cold out that she'd kicked herself for forgetting her coat at work. There was no way she was walking home tonight. She waited for an empty cab to approach, and climbed into one minutes later. It was warm inside, and she leaned her head against the window after giving her address. Why couldn't things just be normal? Why did something bad always have to happen? It was as if the universe gave her someone special, just to throw hardships at them. As if the universe was mocking their efforts. By the time she got home she felt exhaustion deep in her bones. Hospitals always sapped her of her energy. She immediately dressed for bed and slipped under her warm blankets. She closed her eyes, and soon found herself dreaming of Adrien and the ocean.


	17. Chapter 17

I found some time to post another chapter in the middle of traveling! It's been hard to find wifi. This might be the last one until after the first of the year unless I can get around wifi again.

Days later she found herself laying in Adrien's bed next to him while he napped. He had gone home the day after being admitted into the hospital, much to his relief she was sure. He'd been sleeping a lot to her surprise. She really thought he'd be hardheaded and try to go about his life as if nothing had happened. His doorbell rang then, and she slowly crept from the bed so as not to wake him to go answer it. She wasn't pleased to see Chloe on the other side of the door.

"Oh, you're here." Chloe looked at her as if she were garbage in need of being taken out.

"Of course I'm here. What do you want?" She was trying to remain calm, but it wasn't easy. She wanted nothing more than to slam the door in her face.

"I just wanted to check in on him. He looked so tired when I dropped by yesterday." She knew Chloe was trying to get a rise out of her, so in her calmest, sweetest voice, she replied.

"He's sleeping right now, but I'll be sure to tell him you stopped by." Without waiting for Chloe's response, she shut the door and rested her back against it. When would Chloe just admit defeat? Adrien was with her, and that wasn't going to change. He'd told her that he didn't feel that way about Chloe, and she believed him. If that was the case, why couldn't Chloe see it? And why did she have to keep popping up? It felt like every time Marinette turned around, there she was.

"Who was that?" She looked up to the doorway of his bedroom where he stood. The swelling in his eye had gone down, but his face was still bruised. He had that sleepy sexiness about him that caused her to cross the room to wrap her arms gently around his middle.

"Chloe." The name came out with more malice than she'd intended, and she cleared her throat. "She came by to see how you were doing." He sighed and kissed her on the top of her head.

"I'm not sure if I dreamt it, but I think she came by yesterday. I told her I was fine so she didn't need to come back. I'm not really sure what to do. She's my oldest friend, but she causes the most problems." Marinette felt pity for him then. He was put in the middle, and it wasn't fair. She realized then that she was partially the reason he was caught in between. She still didn't think she could handle Chloe being a big part of his life, but she had to do something to alleviate the problem so it would be one less burden on his shoulders.

"Let's just forget about it, okay?" He visibly relaxed, and she admitted that she'd been on the defense enough for him to be wound up about it. She needed to calmly handle this for his sake. She'd go talk to Chloe, and she'd straighten this out once and for all.

"What do you want to do today? We were supposed to be heading to the coast about an hour ago, but here we are." She cracked a smile as he sulked. He was doing much better, but he still needed to take it easy. She figured they could have a nice Friday evening regardless of their plans falling through. "Maybe we can go next weekend?"

"If you're fully better by then, we'll go next weekend. How about we order takeout and rent some movies? I don't want you pushing it so soon." He made a face, but complied.

"It's not like I broke a bone or anything, Marinette. But, a night in sounds nice. Just you, me, and the big screen." His tv was huge. Much bigger than the one at her place. It was almost like going to a small theater. They began watching the first movie while waiting on their food to show up. When the doorbell rang, she went to answer, but he stood up first. He slightly limped to the door before pulling it open.

"Nathalie, what are you doing here?"

"Your father wanted me to see how you were doing." Adrien scoffed and leaned against the doorframe.

"Couldn't come himself, I assume?" Marinette listened intently while pretending to watch the movie.

"You know he's a busy man, Adrien. He would be here if he could." She could see the tension in Adrien's body as he begun to get wound up. This wasn't good for him, not right now.

"No, he wouldn't. We both know that. Tell him I'm doing just fine so he doesn't need to send you to check in on me anymore."

"I'll be sure to let him know. Have a good evening, Adrien." Once Adrien closed the door and turned around, she could see the contempt in his eyes. He was pissed, and maybe a little disappointed, too. He came back to sit next to her, but his body language was off. He said nothing, and it was obvious he wasn't paying attention to the movie. He was deep in thought, and she wished she could take away some of his worries.

Adrien stewed in his anger at his father. It was unfair to Marinette that he was in such a sour mood now, but he couldn't calm himself down. He was tired of his father sending messages to him through his assistant. He was surprised he'd even come to the hospital at all when he'd been in there. Just when he thought his father was starting to try, something like this happened to remind him of who his father was. A sullen, dry, unforgiving bastard. He caught Marinette looking at him from the corner of his eye. He faced her, just for her to turn her head away quickly. She didn't want him to know she'd been looking. He put his hand under her chin and turned her face towards him.

"Sorry I'm in a mood." He wanted tonight to be a nice night. It was the first time he had been awake later than five in the past week.

"It's okay, Adrien. I understand why. I know your father is a sore spot, but I'm here if you ever want to talk about it." He just nodded, and pulled her closer. He was lucky to have such an understanding person in his life, and he wasn't sure what he'd do without her at this point. Life had changed so much for him since discovering who Ladybug truly was. And of all people, it had been one of his best friends. Some days it all made sense, and other days it still felt a little unreal. When their food finally arrived, Adrien was starving. He hadn't eaten much today. Grabbing their plates and settling back in front of the tv, they ate their food in silence. Adrien turned to her and gave her a hungry look.

"What's up with that look," Marinette asked him. A slow smile stretched across his face.

"I know something more fun than watching movies if you're interested." She looked confused for a moment before it finally registered what he was saying.

"Oh no, you are nowhere near healed enough for that." He sighed, and rested a hand on her leg, slowly travelling upwards.

"Are you one hundred percent sure about that?" He saw her chest rise and fall heavily, and knew he was getting a reaction out of her.

"Yep, totally sure." She gulped, so he continued his upward path at a maddening pace before she shifted some in her seat.

"I don't know, you don't seem all that sure." His hand stopped right at the junction between her legs, and she let out a breathy sigh. Stroking her lightly, he smiled wider when she shivered. "Come on, put me out of my misery."

"You're in no shape for it." He rolled his eyes before resting them on her sweet face.

"I'm perfectly fine, I promise." He gave her a pleading look that was just short of begging.

"Okay, okay, fine. But, if you get hurt, I'm definitely saying 'I told you so.'"

"Deal, now, let's go." He stood up and held his hand out to her, she placed a shaky hand in his and soon he was hauling her off to his bedroom.

Marinette almost felt like every time with him was the first time. She was clumsy and unsure of herself, but he always made it so good. She stood there feeling his arms and chest as he undressed her. He always undressed her as if he were opening some kind of gift. He placed small kisses along her body as he went, causing heat to ripple throughout her body. He straightened up once she was fully unclothed and held her body to his. He brought his mouth to her ear and bit down gently on her earlobe.

"Tell me what you want, little ladybug," he whispered. His breath ghosted across her ear sending tingles all along her body.

"I just want you," she replied. He chuckled in her ear. It was a deep, throaty sound.

"And how do you want me?" He was teasing her, provoking her. She wasn't really sure what she was supposed to say, so she just went with her gut and hoped she didn't sound ridiculous.

"I want you inside me. Now." That seemed to be a winning answer, because his eyes gleamed brightly before he shoved her down onto the bed.

"Your wish is my command."

It felt like hours had passed that they'd lain there wrapped up in each other. Marinette was sure that he'd hurt himself, but unless he was hiding it well, he seemed fine. Maybe he was right, and he was almost back to normal. She knew she was coddling him, but it had nearly sucked the life out of her thinking that something horrifying could have happened. Something worse than getting a little banged up. It still made her throat tight to think about. He'd looked so bad when she'd walked into his hospital room, and it had made her heart ache. To think that she could have lost him. A shudder ran through her body.

"What are you thinking about now?" He tightened his grip on her, and kissed her shoulder.

"It's nothing," she said softly. He grunted before raising up to hover over her. His body covered her much smaller one, and he brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.

"Don't tell me it's nothing. You get this far off look sometimes, and I know you have a million thoughts racing through your mind. Just be honest with me. I can take it." She looked at him tenderly and sighed.

"I was just thinking about your accident. That I wouldn't know what to do if something worse had happened to you. It kills me to think about it. It just reminds me how short life can be. How much we risk every day that we go about as Ladybug and Cat Noir. We risk so much, and now I'm always going to be worried that when I see you, it'll be the last time I'll see you." Her words came out hurried. As if she needed to desperately get it off her chest.

"Oh, honey." Adrien bent down and peppered her face with kisses. He didn't want her to be so afraid. They'd make it through all of this and come out stronger on the other side. He was sure of it. "First off, I'm okay. I'm perfectly fine. Nothing worse happened, so there's no use sitting around wondering about all the what ifs. It's going to eat you alive if you do. Second, what we do is risky, but I feel like it's worth it. In fact, I was wondering if you wanted to go out on patrol tonight. We haven't been in a while." She seemed to take a few moments to take it all in before answering. He'd give her all the time she needed if it meant she didn't worry so much.

"Are you sure you're up to it?" She seemed apprehensive, and he needed to put a stop to it. He liked that she cared for him and had been by his side through this whole ordeal, but he didn't need to be babied. He was a grown man, and he'd been through worse than a few bruises and scratches. In reality, it was no worse than fighting a villain.

"I promise I am. Come on, what do you say?" She thought about it a moment, then smiled.

"Okay, let's do it. But, the first sign that you're struggling, I'm calling it a night." He was okay with that because he knew he was in fighting shape. This wasn't going to keep him down for long.

"You have yourself a deal." They sealed it with a kiss, and Adrien shuffled from the bed as excited as a kid on Christmas. He'd been cooped up long enough. It was time to get back out there. They both transformed and slipped onto the terrace that led from his living room. Both using their skill to leap and swing from one building top to another. Finding themselves a block from the park, they dropped to the ground and realized where they were. They were in that fateful alley they'd spent so much time in before they had discovered each other. Adrien looked at Marinette and smiled. They had both good and bad memories here, but they were their memories and no one else's.

"It feels almost funny being here again," Marinette said, placing her hand on her hip.

"Yes, it does. It just reminds me of how many times I kissed those lips of yours before I knew who you really were. Even then, I think I was completely fucked. No one other than you would ever do. I was in love with you long before I knew who you were." He saw her eyes water at his confession, and he crossed the small space between them to hug her. He hadn't meant to make her cry. He just wanted her to know that it would only ever be her for him. He didn't want or need anyone else.

"You totally annoyed me at first, but you started to grow on me. And then…I started to love you, too. And once I loved you, I couldn't stop." He knew he'd driven her crazy for the first few years they fought alongside one another, but he almost couldn't help himself. She had been so easy to rile up. It also helped her fight better, even if she didn't realize it. He'd noticed a change in her feelings towards him before it probably even registered with her. She had become softer towards him, laughed at his lame jokes, and looked at him with those gorgeous blue eyes in a different light. That was what had kept him going when things started to feel a little hopeless.

Marinette walked alongside Adrien as they made their way through the park. It wasn't long before they ran into trouble. A trio of men were ganging up on a man who was huddled on the ground. She hoped Adrien was feeling better because she didn't think she could fight three grown men on her own.

"Give us the money, or face the consequences you little worm," one of the men shouted.

"I-I don't have it right now, but I'll get it to you. I promise. Please, I have a family." The man's voice shook as he continued to curl up on the ground in the fetal position.

"That's not-"

"I think it's time you walk away." Adrien announced their arrival, and the three men turned to look at them.

"Well, well, well. Ladybug and Cat Noir. You have no business here, so you might as well just keep on walking. This doesn't concern you." They went to turn back around and carry on with their business until Adrien walked up to them and tapped one on the shoulder. When he turned around, Adrien punched him in the face. The man staggered back, holding his nose, and the other two closed in. Marinette knew that it was time to jump in, and she swung her yoyo around to clock one of the men in the head. He rubbed his head then charged towards her. She sidestepped him, and hit him with her yoyo once more. It was as if they were engaging in some sort of dance in which he couldn't keep up. She was having fun until she heard a grunt and a thud from behind her. She turned her head and saw Adrien on the ground. Panic seized her, and she nearly rushed over to him immediately. Remembering that she had her own guy to deal with, she went in for the kill and clocked him right between the eyes until he fell back on his ass in the dirt. She turned and rushed over to Adrien. He was on the ground and the man he'd been fighting was kicking him as he lay scrunched up on the ground. Marinette struck out with her yoyo until it wrapped around the man's neck, and she pulled him back. Once he was down, she began kicking him and screaming at him.

"Don't you dare ever touch him again! Next time, I'll kill you." She felt all her panic and fear coming out in her kicks against the man's stomach and backside. She couldn't seem to stop herself. When she stopped to catch her breath, the man scrambled back and collided with the other two. They all were quick to get on their feet and took off running. The man who had been huddled on the ground had taken off some time in all the ruckus. Marinette ran back to Adrien's side and helped him sit up. He was bleeding from somewhere on his face. His face was smeared in blood. "Come on, I need to get you to a hospital."

"No," he said weakly. "No hospital. I'll be fine. My lip is busted, but I'm fine. I don't need to go back to that place." He struggled to get to his feet, and once he did, he doubled over, holding his side. Marinette should have known that this was a mistake. They never should have come out tonight. She knew better, but when he gave her that pleading look, she just couldn't say no. She threw his arm over her shoulder, and began walking with him slowly. They needed to make it back to the alley and transform into their normal selves. They couldn't scale his apartment building to get back in again.

Adrien was pissed. At the asshole that had basically kicked his ass, but mostly at himself. He wanted to prove to Marinette that he could handle this. That he was ready. Now he knew he hadn't been ready, but there was nothing he could do about it now other than tuck his tail between his legs and go home. They drifted into their alley and transformed back into Marinette and Adrien. The walk home took a while, but they finally made it. He'd never been so happy to see his apartment. As soon as Marinette got him inside, she helped him settle onto the couch and immediately disappeared. He just sat there with his head in his hands, blood dripping from his mouth onto the hardwood floors. When she returned, she had a warm cloth and a first aid kit. He sat back while she cleaned his face and applied antiseptic to his lip. It hurt like hell, but he'd live. He was lucky that he was still out of work from the accident, or his boss would start questioning why he was getting hurt so much lately.

"Adrien," Marinette said sternly. Here we go, he thought. This was what he'd been hoping to avoid. The confrontation after the realization that he'd been wrong.

"Don't, Marinette. I already know I fucked up." She grew quiet as she cleaned the blood from the floor. A thought struck him, and he felt his stomach twist painfully. This wasn't just about the fact that he'd been hurt. She could have been hurt, too. He put her in danger, and he wouldn't easily forgive himself for that. He felt like such an idiot for allowing this to happen.

"I just want to say, I'm sorry." Sorry? What did she have to be sorry for?

"Why are you sorry? I should be the one apologizing." He looked at her with a sad expression on his face. Had anything happened to her, he'd never let himself live it down.

"I'm sorry tonight went so wrong." She whispered the words, and he barely heard her. She was just as lost in thought as he was, and he'd kill to know exactly what was on her mind right now. He didn't want this to be another bone of contention between them.

Marinette returned the first aid kit to the bathroom then looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were wide open, as if she were still in shock. Maybe she was. Tonight definitely hadn't gone the way either of them had planned. When she left the bathroom, she found Adrien sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.

"Hey," she said, sitting next to him. "Please don't beat yourself up about this."

"You don't understand, Marinette. You could have been hurt, or worse. I put you at risk because I wanted to prove myself." His voice grew in volume, and she thought it was the closest he'd ever come to yelling at her.

"You told me to stop worrying about the what ifs, so I'm going to tell you the same thing. I'm here, and I'm okay. Please don't let this sit on your shoulders. Let's just take it easy and move past it. Tonight was a disaster, but it'll be better next time." She rubbed his back, feeling how tense he was. "Let's get into bed." A few minutes later they were lying in bed, Marinette huddled up to Adrien. She was careful not to touch him too much for he'd taken quite a beating tonight.

"Marinette?" Her name came out softly, and she could tell that his anger had given way to melancholy.

"Yes?" He drew in a deep breath, and his next words came out in a rush.

"I think we probably need some time apart." Her heart felt like it stopped beating in her chest. What did he just say?

"What? Why?" He wouldn't look down at her no matter how much she willed his eyes to meet hers.

"I almost got you hurt, and I can't just let that go. You would do much better, you'd be much safer, if you stayed away from me for a while." She gulped, trying to push past the burning lump in her throat. What was he talking about? She didn't get hurt, and she wouldn't do alright without him. This was all nonsense.

"Adrien, I-"

"Please, Marinette. I just want you to be safe and happy. I don't know if I can give you those things after tonight. I don't know if you're safe with me anymore." He was talking crazy, and she didn't know how to get him to see it. He seemed to have his mind made up. Marinette didn't want to admit defeat, but she knew how cold he could be when he wanted to be. She hadn't forgotten how detached Cat had been during their argument.

"Oh, okay. I guess I'll go now." She sat up and started climbing out of the bed, trying her best to conceal the fact that she was crying. She felt hot, wet tears rolling rapidly down her face. How was this even happening?

"You don't have to go now, it's late." Adrien had sat up in bed, and was looking at her as she got dressed.

"No, I need to leave now. It's for the best." She didn't look at him as she pulled her pants on and buttoned them. She didn't want him to see her tears. Unfortunately, he was standing before her before she knew it, and he took her head in his hands. He lifted her face to his so she'd have to look him in the eye.

"Please don't cry, little ladybug. I just want to protect you." He sounded so pained and heartbroken. If that was the case, then why was he doing this? She pulled her head from his hands and turned around to search for her shirt. She found it and put it back on, and grabbed her bag. Standing still in his room, they both stared each other down, saying nothing. With one last look at him, she turned on her heel and ran.


	18. Chapter 18

I'm leaving to go to Florida tomorrow and I'll be gone until the first of the year. I'm going to do my best to update before I get back, but in case I don't, I appreciate your patience!

It had been a week, and the pain still ached in Marinette's chest. She wondered if Adrien was feeling the same way. He'd seemed so sure of himself, as if breaking things off with her had been the right decision. She waited by her phone for him to call and tell her he'd made a mistake, but the call never came. She hadn't told Alya what happened yet. She was afraid of what she might say or do if she did. For now, she was handling her aching heart all on her own. She'd barely slept or eaten anything, and she wasn't sure she would have even been able to keep anything down if she tried. This was the most heartbroken she'd ever been. Why did she have to agree to going out on patrol? Things would still be fine if she hadn't, she was sure of it. Her phone began ringing, and she jumped at it.

"Hello," she answered without checking to see who it was.

"Marinette, how have you been, sweetie?" It was her mom. She tried to fight the wave of disappointment that washed over her.

"I'm great, mom. Just great." She could hear in her voice the slight waver, and hoped her mom didn't hear it as well.

"That's good news. How is Adrien?" Her parents had been thrilled when they'd learned that her and Adrien were dating, and she knew her mom would be just as sad as she was that things hadn't worked out. So, she didn't tell her the truth.

"Adrien is great, too. We're both just fantastic." She felt close to tears, but tried to stop them long enough to get through the conversation.

"We were wondering when you would come visit us. It's been a little while now." She knew she hadn't made as much time for her parents lately. She'd either been working or with Adrien. Her entire life had seemed consumed by Adrien these past few weeks. It had only been weeks, but she already couldn't imagine her life without him. Now she'd have to learn how to go on. She wasn't looking forward to it.

"I'll try to come over for dinner after work sometime this week. If that works for you?" She didn't know how she'd completely conceal her anguish from her mom if she saw her in person, but she'd try. She just wasn't ready to share with anyone how she was feeling. She needed to keep this for her own right now until she felt like she could breathe again.

"That sounds excellent! I'll let dad know." They ended the call and Marinette crawled back into bed. She had barely left it unless she had to be at work. She felt pathetic. Not wanting to face the world, she took a sleep aid and laid there until she fell asleep.

Adrien took another swig from his bottle of whiskey. He didn't even attempt to use a glass. He was hurting, and the liquor dulled the pain. He couldn't get the look on Marinette's face when he ended things out of his mind. He didn't want to do it, and part of him was screaming at him to take it back, but he thought it was the only way to protect her. She could have been hurt on his watch, and for fucks sake, she's the one who ended up having to save him. He never should have pushed her to go patrolling. It was a moronic idea that he wished he could take back. When the world finally began to wobble, Adrien contemplated his life. He did pretty well for himself as far as work went, but the rest of his life had gone to shit. If it weren't for Nino, he'd have probably given up already. He talked to Nino a couple of days ago about breaking things off with Marinette. Of course, he left out the part about patrolling, and told Nino that he didn't want to put Marinette through any more trouble. Nino called him an idiot, but told him he'd be there for him no matter what. It felt a little brighter knowing he had such a good friend. He tipped the bottle back for another drink when his doorbell rang. He struggled to get up on his feet and over to the door. The world around him was starting to darken. He pulled the door open fully expecting to see Nathalie on the other side. Instead, it was Chloe. He didn't really want to see her right now, but he would remain civil because she was the longest friendship he'd had.

"Adrien, I'm so glad I caught you at a good time." She wrested the door open the rest of the way, then slipped into his apartment without waiting for him to invite her in. He knew this was trouble.

"Actually, this isn't the best time, Chloe." She faced him with a pout.

"Are you…drunk?" There was no hiding it. He was sure he reeked of whiskey, he could barely stand, and his speech was beyond slurred.

"Nope, I just enjoy stumbling around like a fool." His tone of voice was sarcastic and biting. He needed to tread carefully here. He may not be with Marinette anymore, but he certainly didn't see himself with Chloe. There was a small part of him that loved her as a friend, but he knew what kind of person she was, and that wasn't something he was attracted to. Chloe sidled up to him and stood before him.

"Do you need any help getting to bed?" He could hear the suggestion in her voice, and he knew he'd have to shut this down for good.

"No, I can find the bed just fine. Why are you here, Chloe?" She took a step forward so that she was inches away from him.

"I heard you and Marinette were no longer, and I just wanted to see if you were alright. Obviously you're the one who broke up with her, but I was still so worried." She almost looked sincere if it weren't for that gleam in her eye that told him she thought she'd won. He wondered how she found out.

"Obviously? Why is it obvious?" She sighed dramatically as if it pained her to have to explain it.

"Because, she'd be an idiot to let you go and I think we all know it. Hence, you'd be the one doing to breaking up because you're basically a god, and Marinette is…well, she's a slug." He was getting angrier with every word she spoke.

"Just stop it," he shouted. Chloe immediately clammed up. "I'm the idiot for letting her go. I never should have done it. Things were good, and I completely fucked up. And she isn't a slug. She's beautiful inside and out. She makes my life so much brighter. She's my reason for waking up most days. Oh God, what have I done?" He sunk down onto the couch and felt tears prick his eyes. His whiskey-rattled brain was working on overtime as he realized exactly what it was that he did. He'd let go of the only person that had loved all parts of him since his mom. He needed to fix this, but he wasn't sure she'd be so willing to take him back with how he ended things.

"I can help you feel better if you'd like," Chloe said, sitting next to him on the sofa. He took one look at her and realized he was going to have to be as upfront and honest with her as possible, or she wasn't going to get it. He drew in a breath and faced her.

"Chloe, I know you like me. I've known it for a while, truthfully. But, I think we're better off as friends. I love Marinette. With all I am, I love her. That isn't going to change. I know you've been showing up more to get to her, and I'd like for you to stop. Please, just stop. I don't want anything more from you other than friendship. Be my friend, or be gone." His hands were shaking as he finished speaking. It was the first time he'd ever had to have that conversation with someone, and he wasn't totally sure if he handled it in the best way. Chloe was quiet beside him for moments before she finally spoke.

"I…I understand. I won't bother you again." He heard her sniffle before she stood up and ran from his apartment. Sighing and hanging his head, he lamented at his luck. Just this week alone he'd made two women cry. What shitty thing would happen next?

"You know, you really have a way with the ladies." Adrien looked up to see the little creature floating above him settle down onto the couch.

"Shut up, Plagg. I don't need to hear it from you." Adrien went to reach for the bottle once more before Plagg flew in front of it to guard it. "Move out of the way."

"No, I think you've had enough. I think you need to sleep it off, then go talk to Marinette. You've sulked enough. I haven't been out of this place in ages." Plagg continued to whine until Adrien got up and found him some cheese. It was the only thing that would shut him up. He wanted to see Marinette. He wanted to kiss her, hold her, hear her laughter. But, he knew he probably wouldn't be welcome if he did show up on her doorstep. He especially couldn't show up like this. Adrien trudged to his room and climbed in bed. He was going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning. That was if he could even sleep. He always fell right off to sleep whenever Marinette was beside him, but now, especially now, he struggled to the point where he didn't sleep at all some nights. Those nights he'd go out dressed as Cat and pounce from rooftop to rooftop. He just enjoyed feeling the wind against his face and the nearly aerial view of the city. He felt untouchable. It was maybe the only thing he really had going for him at the moment. While he lie in bed he thought about Hawk Moth. He'd been incredibly quiet lately, and he wondered if he was planning something. The pain hit him in the gut when he realized he'd have to work alongside Marinette again at some point. He just hoped the two of them would be able to handle it.

Marinette woke groggily to the sound of her alarm clock. It was Monday morning and she didn't want to get out of bed. Life felt heavy and disenchanting. With a groan she pulled back the covers and slid from her bed. Walking to the shower, she turned on some music so she wouldn't feel so alone. She stood under the spray of the shower for a long while, letting the warmth of the water caress her body. When it began to feel like Adrien's hands, she shut the water off and left the shower. It was almost too much. Everything reminded her of him. She dressed for work hurriedly, her long shower sucking up most of her time this morning. By the time she was out the door, she had twenty minutes to be there, so she nearly ran the entire way. When she arrived on the dot, she crashed into her desk chair and drew in a deep breath. It was only nine and she was already ready to be out of here.

"Marinette, in my office please." She knew she couldn't be in trouble for being late, she'd made it in time. She had no idea what else her boss could possibly want of her. Walking in and closing the door behind her, Marinette sat in a chair across from her boss once more. It felt a little intimidating so she tried to get a grip on herself. "I have a project for you."

"A project?" She'd been getting more and more of those lately, and she hoped it had everything to do with the amount of work she put into this place. She tried her hardest every day to turn out results she could be proud of.

"Yes. I know you aren't unfamiliar with the world of fashion, so I'm entrusting you with this. Our next issue will involve a piece on young models who grew up in the fashion world. I want you to conduct interviews. Really get the information that readers will be interested in. Things that connect them to models as real people that they pass on the street every day. Do you think you can do that?" Her boss looked at her expectantly.

"Of course! I mean, yes. Yes, I can do that." Marinette felt excited for the first time in a week. This was going to be fun, and she would enjoy it.

"Great. Because the interviews are on the fifteenth floor in about two hours. I'd recommend you get to work on the questions you'd like to ask and get down there." With a wave of her hand, her boss dismissed her. Marinette walked back to her desk feeling panicked. She only had two hours to prepare for multiple interviews? How was that fair? She was just starting to regret taking the job when she mentally slapped herself. No, she could do this, and she'd do it well. She fought bad guys for crying out loud, this was going to be a piece of cake. She immediately sat down and began thinking of questions she could ask and when there was less than an hour before the interviews, she hopped on an elevator and rode it down to the fifteenth floor. Finding the conference room where the interviews were going to be held, she sat down at the table and pulled out her note cards. She had a good many questions, and she was feeling confident. Time ticked by until the first model arrived. She was beautiful with long blonde hair and crystal clear eyes. She sat down across from Marinette and smiled.

"This is for the interview, correct?"

"Yes, my name is Marinette, and I'll be conducting the interview. Do you want to say anything before we start, or should we jump right in?" Marinette gripped the notecards tightly in her hand, feeling the first bit of nerves creep in.

"We can start whenever you're ready." She clasped her hands daintily in front of her, and Marinette picked up a pen to jot down the model's answers.

"Okay, first question. When did you begin modeling?" The questions came easily and model after model trailed in. Some of them were warm, and others seemed like they wanted to be anywhere but in that room. There were three more to go before they all went downstairs for a photoshoot for the magazine. Marinette looked down at her notecards, shuffling through them to find some good questions for the next model when the door opened. She looked up, and her heart began beating out of her chest. Her stomach flipped over, telling her to abort mission.

Adrien walked through the door to the conference room, ready for his interview. He didn't feel like doing it, but his father had pushed him into it since his good friend was the owner of this magazine. It would take maybe ten minutes out of his day, so he'd agreed. Even though he'd rather be sitting at home nursing his hangover. He looked around the room then zeroed in on a young woman sitting at the table, and he felt his chest seize up. Marinette sat there looking at him with her mouth hanging open. He knew she worked here, but he didn't think she'd be the one conducting the interviews. The idea hadn't even crossed his mind. In any case, this was a good thing. He planned on winning her back in any way he could. He never should have let her go in the first place. It had only been a week since he'd seen her face, but he'd missed her so much. He could tell that she hadn't been sleeping, and she almost looked as if she'd lost weight. The dark circles under her eyes made her wide eyes look even more electric. He wanted nothing more than to cross the room and take her into his arms. Instead, he slowly made his way over to the table and sat down across from her. She wasn't looking at him, but instead seemed overly interested in her notecards.

"Hey," he said lamely. 'Hey?' He could come up with something better than that. Maybe an 'I'm sorry' or a 'please let me make it up to you.' He cleared his throat, and she finally looked up. He hated that she looked so uncomfortable and out of place. He never thought she'd have that expression when looking at him. She said nothing, but just looked at him sadly.

Marinette almost couldn't believe it. Almost. Fate seemed to be kicking her ass lately, and this was just the cherry on top. Her only consolation was that he didn't look any better than she felt. Was the weight of their break up crushing him as well?

"Hi." She didn't know what else to say. She almost said nothing at all and ran out of there, but she had a job to do, and she was determined to do it. Flipping her notepad to an empty page, she scrawled his name across the top of it, her heart squeezing painfully as she did. "So, let's just get right to it. When did you know that this was the line of work you wanted to pursue?" She didn't meet his eyes, but instead stared down at her notepad.

"Marinette." She looked up at the sound of her name and immediately wished she hadn't. She saw pain in his eyes. Deep-seated pain that contorted his entire beautiful face. She found that she couldn't look away from his haunting green eyes no matter how much she tried to drag her gaze elsewhere. "Little ladybug, I-"

"Don't call me that," she hissed with more anger than she'd intended. She was hurting, though, and she felt so much anger that it threatened to consume her. He'd made no promises, but she also didn't think things would end so abruptly either. She thought they'd have more time, and the fact that she now had to climb into an empty bed every night just twisted the knife in deeper.

"Please, just listen to me." She stared at him dumbfounded. How could he ask anything of her after breaking her heart?

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't get up and walk out of here right now."

"Because I love you." She snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Right. That's usually the reason people break up. How silly of me for doubting you." The sarcasm dripped heavily from her tongue, but she was powerless to stop it. She felt the heat of her words nearly boiling over, and she knew this wouldn't end well. All her sadness and grief had decided to take a backseat to her fury.

"I know you're mad, and you have every right to be. I acted rashly and I said something I didn't mean. Something I wish I could take back. And…and I want you back, Marinette. I need you back. I was an idiot." His words came out rushed, as if his voice was a dam breaking and leaking all that it had held back. Marinette just sat there in stunned silence at his confession. Then, she felt her rage multiplying. He'd put her through hell this last week just to come in here and tell her he'd made a mistake?

"How dare you?" She tried not to raise her voice to avoid attracting any unwanted attention from beyond the conference room doors. "How dare you rip my heart into tiny little pieces then come in here acting like it was nothing but a small mistake?" She was starting to get emotional and felt burning tears brimming in her eyes, close to spilling over.

Okay, so this wasn't exactly how he thought things would go, but she was at least talking to him. That was a start. He looked into her pale face, and saw how hurt she was. It was unmistakable. He'd completely crushed her, and here he was asking her to take him back like it was nothing. Clearly he was more than an idiot. He was a fucking dumbass.

"I know I hurt you, sweetheart. I've regretted it every day since you left my apartment." He stood up then walked around the table to kneel in front of her. "Tell me what I have to do to get you back. Whatever it is, I'll do it. I can't live without you, Marinette." He knew he was pleading, but he didn't care. He'd plead and beg for as long as he needed to if it meant she'd give this another shot. She just looked down at him with a tearful gaze, and he wanted nothing more than to kiss those tears away. Even though he was the cause of them.

"I don't think there's anything you can do, Adrien. If you don't mind, I have a job to do." She looked out the window instead of down at him, and he could see her eyes watering. She was still so hurt, but she was also pissed, that much he could see. He refused to move, knowing if he did then he was giving up. And he refused to give up.

"I'll do anything in this world, Marinette. Anything at all. I just can't keep going on without you. Please, please just give me a chance to fix this." Her eyes met his, and silent tears escaped her eyes to make a path down her cheeks.

"Why did you do it? If you were just going to turn around and say you fucked up, why did you do it in the first place?" Her voice cracked, and he felt searing pain light up his heart. Seeing her like this, because of him, was more than he could bear.

"I- I thought I was protecting you." Her face twisted in confusion as she regarded him

"Protecting me from what, exactly?" He sighed and looked down at his hands before looking back up at her.

"From me. I put you in danger, and I couldn't see past that. I never meant to hurt you or put you in harm's way." She was silent, but her eyes never left his. After a few long, silent moments, she finally spoke up.

"I put myself in danger every time I transform into Ladybug. You didn't put me in danger. I chose to go out on patrol knowing you weren't ready. You shouldn't put all the blame on yourself." Her voice had grown tender, but her eyes still looked haunted. "I still can't do this, Adrien. This entire relationship has been so intense so quickly, and it seems like something is always going wrong. I need to move on, and I need you to let me." The words leaving her mouth sucked the oxygen from his chest until he was left deflated in front of her.

"Baby, please." The words came out strangled, and he was sure he was about to start crying himself. He had royally fucked up, and he didn't know how to make it better.

Marinette just sat there not knowing what to do. Adrien was at her feet pleading with her, begging her, to take him back. She wanted to. More than anything she wanted to, but she had meant what she said. Their relationship had been so volatile and rocky from the beginning. She loved him so much, and seeing him kneeling before her looking like a lost little boy crushed her. It nearly broke down her defenses, but then she took a deep breath and stood up.

"If you aren't going to do the interview, I'll need a signature so I won't get in trouble. I still have a few more people to interview, so we either need to do this or you need to leave." She heard the tremble in her voice, and hated that she couldn't make it stop. Seeing him here today caught her so off guard. She couldn't look at him because she was afraid she'd cave if she did. He slowly stood up from where he had been kneeling, and he sunk back down into the seat across from hers.

"I'll do the interview. But I'm warning you now, I'm not giving up. Somehow I'm going to get you back." He clasped his hands together and laid them on the table. He said it so matter-of-factly that she blinked in surprise and her mouth formed a small o.

"Adrien," she warned before clearing her throat. She asked her questions, and he answered them professionally, but he had a new determined air about him. She fully believed him when he said he wasn't giving up, and that both terrified and excited her. How long would she be able to turn him away before she eventually gave in? By the time they finished, she was squirming in her seat. His penetrating stare was undoing her, and he knew exactly what he was doing. They wrapped up the interview, and Marinette stood up to walk over to the door and open it.

"Wait." She halted at the sound of his voice and turned around. He walked up to her, and she had to crane her neck to look into his eyes. She felt her breathing shallow at his close proximity. "Let me take you to dinner so we can talk."

"No, Adrien. Now stop." There was no heat in her voice, and that's when she knew she was fucked. He was going to relentlessly pursue her, and she didn't have it in her to resist for long. She had to keep her guard up, though. She had to protect herself from getting hurt again. He just smiled that killer smile and leaned in.

"Then I'll ask again tomorrow. Until tomorrow, little ladybug." With that, he left the room, and Marinette exhaled heavily. She was left feeling both relieved and full of apprehension. He made it clear he'd be seeing her tomorrow, and she wasn't totally sure how she felt about that. Part of her was telling her to abort mission, and the other part of her longed to see him again already. There was a war raging inside her, and only time would tell which part of her would win out. The next model walked in, breaking her from her thoughts, and she got back to work, thoughts of Adrien creeping in for the rest of the day.


	19. Chapter 19

Marinette sifted through her notes as she sat before her boss. Yesterday she'd done the interviews, so now it was time to pick which questions made it to the issue. Her boss had a copy of the notes and was marking on the pages diligently. She was getting more comfortable around Ms. Valencia, and she realized she wasn't half as scary as she seemed. Velour was her baby, and she just wanted things to be perfect. That was something Marinette could understand.

"Okay, I put an x through the ones we'll cut, and circled the ones I really liked and want in the article." Ms. Valencia passed her copy of the pages back to Marinette, and dismissed her. She drifted back to her desk and saw multiple messages on her phone. All from Adrien.

'Hope you're having a good day xo'

'I miss you'

'If you give me a chance to make up for being an asshole, I promise you will never regret it'

'I'll see you tonight…'

Tonight? What was happening tonight? Maybe she should plan something with Alya so she wouldn't be at home. Just in case he decided to come by. She didn't know if she'd have it in her to turn him away again if he showed up at her place. She sent Alya a quick message asking if she could come over after work, and then set her phone down on the desk. She was making notes on her notepad regarding the article when her phone buzzed. Alya.

'YES! I'll get drinks and snacks on my way home from work. I'm so excited!'

Marinette smiled down at her phone. She'd blown Alya off for a week, but it was time to reinvest herself in her friendships. Even if she'd lost a major friendship in Adrien, she still had and would always have Alya. They'd been through so much together.

"Someone turn on the tv!" A temp rushed into the office space and searched for the controller for the tv that lined one wall of the room. Marinette watched with her heart in her throat. She already knew what was coming. The tv came on and the temp switched the channel to the news. There Marinette saw a woman in a fluffy dress using a cane to hook and drag people into a line. It looked like they were right near the Eiffel Tower which was maybe fifteen minutes away. She could get there faster as Ladybug. She immediately jumped to her feet and left the office space taking the stairs two at a time to the roof. Checking to make sure she was alone, Marinette inhaled deeply.

"Tikki, spots on." She transformed, and used her yoyo to swing about the buildings on her way towards the Eiffel Tower. She sat perched on a rooftop scouting out the situation on the ground when she felt someone behind her. She spun around, ready to attack. Adrien was there as Cat, and he held his hands up.

"I'm just here to help," he said as she backed down. He knelt down next to her and looked out over the small plaza where the woman was attacking. "Hawk Moth has been so quiet lately. I wondered when he was going to strike again."

"I thought for sure he was planning something big, but this one looks so easy. It's obvious the akuma is in her cane. This feels almost too easy. What if it's a trap?" They looked at one another, and Marinette fought past the pang in her chest. They had a job to do, and a duty to the people of Paris. They'd have to learn to work together if they wanted to continue being Ladybug and Cat Noir.

"You're right. This does seem easy. What kind of trap could it be, though? He wouldn't come out himself to attack us. That isn't his style." Marinette thought about it a moment, but a scream pulled her from her thoughts. They needed to get down there and take care of this while remaining on the alert.

"I'm not sure if it's a trap or not, but we still need to take out this villain. She's already captured a lot of people. Look, it seems like once she touches them with her cane, they bend to her will immediately." They watched as she hooked another person, and they fell into line. They needed to put a stop to this before she had a chance to control more people. "Come on, let's go." They swung down towards the ground and landed in front of the woman.

"Ladybug and Cat Noir, just who I was hoping to see. Care to join my flock?" Her voice was sickly sweet, but years of crime fighting proved to Marinette never to take anything at face value. This woman was after her miraculous, and she'd stop at nothing to get it unless they could get that staff away from her.

"No thanks. Who are you supposed to be anyway?" Adrien spun his staff around in his hand, preparing to use it.

"Why, I'm Bo Peep, of course!" She laughed a crystalline laugh and moved over to the line of people waiting for her command like sheep. "After them," she yelled, and the people began stalking forward towards them. Marinette and Adrien looked at each other, and immediately knew what to do. They began heading in opposite directions, the group of people splitting off to follow them both. Marinette ran in a large circle, trying to outrun the people long enough to formulate a plan. She looked over to Bo Peep who was walking airily towards Adrien.

"Lucky charm," she cried and a net fell into her hands. She looked at the net to the body of water that ran alongside the plaza and an idea began forming. Running ahead of the crowd that followed her, she hurriedly tied the ends of the net to two posts, and prepared for the crowd to run right at her. Just as they approached, she swung her yoyo around a tree branch and ran towards the water. Just as she was about to fall in, she jumped and came swinging around the tree to land back on the ground. She looked behind her and saw that the group of people that had been following her had fallen into the net above the water just as she'd intended. She turned around to see Adrien still outrunning his group of people while Bo Peep continued to make her way over to him. She tried sneaking up on her to steal her cane, but she whirled on Marinette and tried to hook her with it. Marinette jumped back, and Bo Peep cackled. "I'll have your miraculous very soon, so you might as well hand it over!"

"That'll be the day," Marinette retorted. She backed away slowly as Bo Peep walked towards her. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Adrien had managed to lose his group of people and was now using his cat-like reflexes to try sneaking up on Bo Peep this time. Marinette needed to distract her. "Why don't you and I just talk? We can get past whatever it is that's bothering you.

"Ha! As if I'd ever talk to you, Ladybug. I want one thing from you, and I will have it. And then I'll go after that little kitty of yours, too!" Good, she was talking and distracted. Adrien was getting closer and closer to grabbing the cane.

"Oh, come on, we can be friends. It won't hurt to try." Marinette felt herself tensing as Adrien reached out his hand, inches from closing around the cane.

"Cataclysm," he yelled, and grabbed onto the cane. It immediately disintegrated and the akuma flew out of it. Marinette captured it, and rid it of evil before freeing it once more. The woman who had been Bo Peep had dropped to her knees and started looking around in confusion. Marinette turned away to see Adrien looking at her intently. His bright green eyes bore holes into her, and only the beeping of her miraculous reminded her that she needed to leave.

"Uh, I've gotta go," she said begore turning around and running off. She swung back onto the rooftops and made her way back to Velour's roof before changing back into Marinette. She took the elevator down to her floor and entered the office space where everyone, including Ms. Valencia, was still huddled around the tv. Marinette slipped into the back of the crowd, and soon Ms. Valencia clapped her hands together and directed everyone to go back to work.

"I can't believe I missed another opportunity to see Ladybug and Cat noir because I was stuck at work," a coworker said.

"Yeah, I saw them once on the other side of town at night. They go patrolling in that big park. I haven't seen them in a while, though." Marinette stopped eavesdropping and settled back in at her desk. It was true they hadn't been patrolling in a long time. She wanted to go, but she didn't feel safe doing it all alone, and the least amount of time she spent around Adrien, the better. With a sigh she began looking through the notes her boss had given her and tried focusing on them. When five o'clock hit, she was ready to get out of there, and she packed her things up to quickly leave.

Adrien stood on Marinette's doorstep and drew in a deep breath. Her lights were all out, and she wasn't answering the door. Was she gone, or was she just avoiding him? He knocked again, this time harder, and waited a moment before realizing she probably wasn't even there. If she wasn't here, there were only two other places she'd be: at the bar, or at Alya's. He'd check the bar first, then Alya's house if she wasn't there. He was determined not to lose her, and he felt like he would if he didn't keep trying. He walked back to his car and climbed in behind the wheel.

"You know, she might not be home because you just had to come on so strong yesterday. She knew you'd try to show up here." Adrien cut Plagg a look that could have killed. "I'm just saying, maybe you should be a little more subtle."

"Being subtle will get me nowhere, Plagg. If I back off, then she'll never know how I really feel. I don't want there to be any doubt in her mind just who she belongs to by the time I'm done." Adrien gripped the steering wheel and drove in the direction of the bar.

"Who she belongs to? I have a feeling she'll protest that."

"She belongs to me, with me. I know it. We were both chosen for a reason. We both found each other, even outside our personas, for a reason. I can't just move on and forget about her." His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel as he held onto it like a lifeline.

"Then I just hope you know what you're doing." Plagg grew quiet after than and settled down into the passenger seat. Sometimes it was a pain in the ass having a kwami following him around all the time. It proved useful at times, but then there were also times that it almost felt like a curse. Thankful for the silence, Adrien went over what he would say in his head for the millionth time. It so far involved a lot of begging. It was mostly begging. As he pulled up to the bar, he stepped out of his car and entered the building. One sweep around the room told him that she wasn't here. Leaving as quickly as he came, he slipped back into his car and fired up the engine. Plagg looked at him, but said nothing. He took back roads on the way to Alya's house. Even taking lesser traveled roads, he still found himself sitting in traffic five minutes from her house.

"Goddammit," Adrien cursed, banging his hands on the steering wheel.

"Just calm down. I'm sure she'll still be there by the time we make it." Plagg wasn't usually the one with the level head, but this time he was right. He was just so impatient to get to her already. He needed to see her because yesterday hadn't been enough. He'd gone a week without seeing her, and he had so much time to make up for. When the traffic finally cleared, he sped to her house. His new car was faster than his old one, and hugged the curves of the road perfectly. His accident should have been enough to deter him from speeding, but this felt too important. She was too important. Within a matter of minutes he was pulling into Alya's driveway and stepping out of his car. He inhaled the crisp fall air and walked onto the porch, knocking against the glass panes of the door. He heard shuffling, and the door swung open.

"Adrien! I wasn't expecting you tonight." Clearly Marinette hadn't told her anything based on how she was talking to him.

"I'm not staying for long. I was just wondering if Marinette was here." He shoved his hands down in his pockets.

"Yeah, let me just go get her. Is everything okay?" She looked at him warily, as if she could sense that something wasn't right.

"Oh yeah, everything is fine. I just needed to discuss something with her. It's important." Alya nodded, but called out for Marinette.

Marinette stood up from the couch at the sound of her name and went into the front hallway to meet Alya. It must be their pizza arriving.

"Is it the-" Marinette stopped dead when she saw Adrien standing at the door. She should have known he'd eventually show up here. She would bet on it that he'd already stopped by her house. "Adrien."

"Marinette. Can I talk to you? Please?" Marinette walked over to the door, and pushed slightly past Alya.

"Alya, can you give us a minute? I'll be right back. If the pizza shows up while we're talking I'll get it." Alya nodded then disappeared. Marinette stepped onto the porch, closed the door behind her, and turned her attention back to Adrien. "What the hell do you want?"

"I want to talk to you." She tapped her foot impatiently. "You didn't tell Alya, did you?" She was quiet for a moment as she looked down at her feet.

"No, I was planning on telling her tonight. I need to get it out of my head." Even she could hear the grief in her voice, and she tried to hold back the tears she knew would come if she let herself think about it too much.

"Then talk to me about it. Lay it all on me, I'll listen. And then we can try to move forward. Together." She looked at him as if he were crazy, and blew out a breath.

"I don't know what you think is going to happen, Adrien, but we're over. You ended things, and I'm learning to accept that. I don't want to draw this out any more than we already have. It's too painful." She ended on a whisper, and hugged her arms to her chest.

"It's painful not being with you. I know you feel the same way. Just tell me what I need to do to make this right." Marinette felt the tears roll down her cheeks before she could stop them. A sob burrowed in her chest and she tried to shove it down as best as she could.

"Nothing can make this right. You left me, and I didn't hear from you for a week. It hurt like hell, it still hurts like hell, and I'm trying to move past it. It's a little hard when you're starting to pop up all over the place." Swallowing hard past the lump in her throat, Marinette looked off into the distance to see dark clouds rolling in. She was afraid that if she looked at his face that she would break down completely.

"I don't want you to move past it, past me. If you love me, then look at me and fight for this like I'm trying to fight for you. If you're sad or angry, tell me. Yell in my face, push me around, tell me I'm an asshole. Anything but this defeated attitude. I can handle anything but that." There was fire in his voice, and Marinette rose her eyes to meet his for the first time since stepping outside to talk to him. What she saw there made her weak in the knees. He loved her, and he was going to fight to get her back if it killed him to do so. She gripped the railing of the porch to regain her balance, and continued looking at him. A clap of thunder sounded overhead and rain soon followed, pouring down in buckets.

"What am I supposed to do, Adrien? You broke up with me as if it were so easy. You just ended things and it took me off guard. I never would have thought you'd do that. Who's to say you won't decide to do it again next time things get difficult? Or what if you get bored of me? What if we run into trouble patrolling again? There's so many things that could go wrong, and you've shown me that your gut instinct is to run when things go wrong. How can I trust you with my heart again after that?" He ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes before responding.

"I fucked up, baby. I never should have let you walk out my door. I never should have suggested something so stupid. I felt like shit that you could have gotten hurt because of me, and I reacted rashly. I could promise you every day for the rest of our lives that I'll never do it again, but the only way you'll believe it is if I show you. I need you to find a way to trust me, just this once. I swear to you, I'll prove to you every day that I love you, that I'm in love with you, and that I'll never leave you alone again. You're my entire world, Marinette. You're everything to me. My life is nothing without you in it. Please, little ladybug. Please just give me the chance to prove to you that I'm not going to leave you ever again." Marinette's teeth chattered in the cold, but she wasn't ready to retreat yet. The air was cold, but his words warmed her. She wanted to believe them, wanted to dive headfirst into him and never leave. But then there was that part of her that was telling her that she would be making a mistake if she did. She didn't know what to do, truthfully, because her heart still belonged to him.

"Say I did give you another chance. What happens at the first sign of trouble? What if you just run away again? Where does that leave me? Because I can't do that again, Adrien. Those first few days were the hardest of my life, and I don't have the desire to do them all over again." He walked closer to her and stood just before her, looking down into her face.

"I swear on all that I am, that will never happen again, Marinette. I was an idiot for ever letting you go." He cupped her face in his hands, and she stood completely still as he gazed into her eyes. She nearly stepped away from him, but the look on his face stopped her. She saw so much honesty that it almost knocked the oxygen from her lungs. Her breath caught in her chest as her eyes melted into his.

"Adrien…" His name came out as a whisper on her wind-chapped lips. He shuffled closer so their bodies were touching.

"Marinette," he replied. "Please." She couldn't take the pleading anymore. It was wearing her down in a major way. She needed to extricate herself before she gave in, but she couldn't seem to make herself do it. She drug her gaze down from his eyes to his lips. It had been so long since they'd been on hers. She heard him begin to breathe heavily, and her eyes found his once more. They were clouded by desire, and she knew then that she was hopeless.

Adrien could barely stop himself from hauling her off in his car to his place when she looked down at his mouth like that. He didn't know if he was reading her wrong, but it seemed like she wanted him to kiss her, and he wasn't one to deny her what she wanted. He bent his neck down towards her face, and felt the air around them sizzle as their lips collided. It was a harsh, bruising kiss that went on and on. She tasted of sweet wine and something else that was purely Marinette. The way her tongue felt against his, the way she gripped his shoulders, it was all so familiar. Like coming home after being gone for so long. If she forgave him, he'd never let a day go by without kissing her like this. When they both came up for air, all he could do is stare down at her. He needed an answer, wasn't leaving without one. Hopefully he wouldn't be leaving without her. She suddenly pulled away and looked out into the rain that still poured from the heavens. Okay, so maybe this wasn't going as well as he'd thought.

"Look, we can talk about this tomorrow, okay? I need to get back inside to Alya. I promised her a girl's night, and I can't go back on that. Stop by my place after work tomorrow, and then we'll talk." She edged closer to the door, shivering in the cold.

"Until tomorrow, then, little ladybug." He took one last look at her, caressing her face, before stepping off the porch and running for his car. He was drenched by the time he made it inside, but he didn't care. She hadn't completely told him to get lost, and that was a start.

Marinette walked back inside trying to warm up. It was raining and freezing outside, and she hoped Adrien would be okay driving home in it. Especially after his accident. She sent him a quick text telling him to let her know when he got home, and she rejoined Alya in the living room.

"Everything okay," Alya asked looking concerned.

"Yep, everything's fine. We just had something to work out. It's all okay." Marinette smiled brightly though she felt completely shaken inside. Adrien always managed to turn her inside out with just one kiss. They would be talking tomorrow, and she had a lot to think over before then.

"Okay, if you're sure. Want more wine?" Marinette gladly accepted the offering. She needed a buzz to slow down the beehive in her mind. A million thoughts were flitting about in her head, and anything to help dull them would be a welcome reprieve. Her and Alya stayed up for a while talking about everything from Adrien to Ladybug. Marinette hadn't been aware of it, but Alya had been there to record the fight from earlier today, and she showed it to Marinette on her Ladyblog. Marinette watched in fascination how in sync her and Adrien were even after being apart for a while. Working together was just second nature at this point for both of them. They made a great team, all things aside. When she finally called a cab to take her home, it was nearing one on the morning. She'd be dead at work tomorrow morning, but it was worth it. She really needed this night with Alya. Feeling a little tipsy, she opened her front door and stopped dead in her tracks. There, standing by her kitchen window was Gabriel Agreste. How had he even gotten inside in the first place? A bad feeling sunk low in her gut as she slowly stepped inside. She left the door open in case she needed to make a run for it.

"M-Mr. Agreste?" He turned to face her, his face as impassive as always. As if he was bored of everything.

"Ms. Dupain-Cheng. I'm glad you're home. We have a lot to talk about." He adjusted his tie as he took a step towards her.

"But, why are you in my house?" His threatening glare stopped her from questioning him further.

"We have a matter to discuss, you and I." He paused to make sure she was listening. "I know you've been seeing my son, Adrien. I need that to stop immediately. He's no longer focused on anything else, and that's becoming a problem for me. He'll be taking over my company one day, and I need to know that he's prepared. If he's off running around with you, shirking his responsibilities, then how am I supposed to know he's ready? You see my predicament here." Marinette said nothing, just stared down at her feet. He was far too intimidating to look at. "Do we have an understanding?" Marinette felt irritation bubbling over. Not just from Mr. Agreste's demand, but from everything that had gone wrong in the last few weeks.

"With all due respect, Mr. Agreste, your son is an adult and he makes his own decisions. I can't make the choice for him what he does with his time." She felt bold for speaking out to him, knowing that it probably wouldn't go over very well. Just as predicted, fury contorted his face and he took a menacing step towards her.

"You WILL listen to me, and you WILL leave my son alone. Or you'll find yourself out of a job. Do I make myself clear?" Marinette stood there in stunned silence. He was threatening her, blackmailing her. Velour was the best job she'd had since finishing college, if she lost that job, it would look bad on any other resume she filled out. She felt stuck. All she could do was nod and push the tears down. Like hell would she cry in front of this wretched man. How did Adrien turn out even slightly normal with a father like this? "Good. You're doing the right then. Have a good evening, Ms. Dupain-Cheng." He left through the open front door, not even bothering closing it. She slammed the door shut and kicked it with her booted foot repeatedly before collapsing into a heap on the floor. The sobs she'd held back sprang forth and she let her tears freely flow.

"Are you okay, Marinette?" Tikki's soft voice broke up the deafening silence, and Marinette looked at her through a haze of tears. She couldn't stop herself from crying so she just hiccupped her words.

"What…am…I…going…to…do?"

"You need to tell Adrien what happened. No one knows how to handle Gabriel Agreste like Adrien does." Tikki hovered over her head with a tissue, and Marinette graciously took it. She swiped at her face then blew her nose, but it was useless. She still cried and held herself in the middle of her kitchen floor, her buzz completely gone now. When she finally felt cried out, and she was only sniffling, she took another tissue and cleaned her face.

"I can't tell him, Tikki. It'll ruin whatever little bit of relationship they have. I'm willing to bet Mr. Agreste has already talked to Adrien and didn't get the answer he wanted, so he decided to come to me because I have far more to lose. I could lose my job and that will ruin everything for me right now. Velour is a top magazine in this city. Losing a job there is career suicide, and he knows that." Marinette was feeling so hopeless that she could barely pick herself up off the ground.

"I still think Adrien needs to know what happened here tonight, Marinette. This is his problem, too." Tikki was right, but this would only bring more hardships upon them both, and she wanted to spare him this one thing.

"I'll think about it and decide before he comes over tomorrow night." Marinette threw herself into bed and curled up into a ball. She felt pure emptiness as she stared at her wall and cried silent tears until she fell asleep.


	20. Chapter 20

Adrien left his photoshoot and looked down at his watch impatiently. It was only three in the afternoon, and Marinette wouldn't be off work for another two hours. He had thought over what to say to her tonight when they talked. It all involved a lot of promises to stick around and pleads to be given another chance. Basically everything he'd already said, just more elaborate. He was itching to see her and tell her that they could make it. He just knew they could. He climbed into his car and began driving home to wait. These would be some of the longest hours of his life. Second only to the week he went without seeing her.

"Can we stop for some Camembert on the way home? I think we're all out." Adrien looked over at Plagg and just smiled. He was feeling better than he had in over a week knowing that he'd be seeing the woman he loved tonight, and that there was a good chance they'd work things out, so he told Plagg they'd stop. After leaving the store, they headed home and the waiting began.

Marinette chewed her nails all day at work. She still hadn't decided if she was going to tell Adrien what happened last night or not. Tikki was correct that he had a right to know, but Marinette also didn't want to put any more strain on his already fragile relationship with his father. She didn't want to be the reason that that bridge burned down. And on her mind went in circles all day. She barely got any work done. By the time she left the building, she was feeling even more unsure. He'd be coming over soon, and she'd have to make a decision. Either way, she had a feeling tonight wouldn't go very well after all. She had known after that kiss last night that she would forgive him. She didn't have it in her to stay angry with him when he was crawling after her. But now…that seemed like a moot point. She was fucked no matter what she did. She either took him back and lost her livelihood, or she told him they couldn't be together and lost the only meaningful relationship she'd ever had. Neither option was appealing. She rubbed her hands together and shoved them down in her pockets. It was getting colder by the day and fall would soon make way for winter. She really needed to start carrying gloves with her. Fifteen minutes later she was walking up the stairs to her house, and she let herself in hesitantly. As if afraid Mr. Agreste would be waiting for her once more. When all was clear, she entered and closed the door behind her. She went to change into some more comfortable clothes, and soon there was a knock at her door. This was it. He was here. She opened the door, just a crack, and spoke.

"I think it would be best if we didn't talk, Adrien. I hope you understand." She was just starting to close the door when his hand shot out and wrenched the door open wide.

"What the hell, Marinette?" He looked perplexed as he stared her down.

"I just think this is a bad idea, and we need to step away from each other." Marinette looked past his shoulder and said the words robotically. Clearly she'd made her decision. She was a coward.

"Or, you could just tell him," Tikki spoke up. Marinette glared daggers at her, and then she looked back at Adrien.

"Tell me what?" He leaned against the doorframe and looked at her in question. "Did something happen?"

"Tell him," Tikki prodded.

"Okay, fine! Your father was in my house when I came home last night." Adrien looked completely baffled and she scratched his head.

"My father? He was here? What for?" Marinette sighed and ran a hand across her face before answering.

"Basically to tell me that I need to leave you alone or else I'll lose my job. I can't lose my job, Adrien. I'll never work in this industry again if I do. I don't know what to do. I wouldn't be surprised if he was watching us right now." She looked out past him into the street warily. Adrien no longer looked confused, now he just looked extremely pissed.

"I told him that wasn't going to happen. I'm so sorry he did that to you, baby." Adrien took her face in his hands and planted a kiss on her forehead before taking her into his arms for a hug. "We'll figure this out, I promise, but I'm not letting him take away the only thing that matters to me." Marinette felt her arms circle around Adrien's back, and she knew then that she couldn't just let him go. Even if everything was at stake.

"Come on, let's go inside." She reluctantly pulled away, and stepped to the side to let him in. Once they were inside out of the cold, Adrien shed his coat, and hung it on the rack by the door. They stood there for a while, neither of them speaking before Marinette led the way to her living room. They both sunk down onto the couch, and Adrien immediately pulled her into his arms. She didn't fight it because she knew this was where she truly felt at home, in his arms.

Adrien seethed with rage that his father would have the audacity to do such a thing. This was all getting out of control. Not only did his father try to take over his professional life, but now he was meddling in his personal affairs. He'd put up with so much over the years, but this was one thing he wouldn't allow. He'd threatened Marinette, and he would pay for that somehow, some way.

"I'm really sorry, Marinette. I never thought he'd stoop so low. I should have known better." She began shaking her head vehemently.

"That's not your fault. He made his choice, and his choice was to break into my home and blackmail me into giving you up." It sounded even worse when she put it that way.

"Does that mean you aren't giving me up," he asked hopefully. She craned her neck up to look at him from where she rested in his arms.

"I don't know, Adrien. We have so much to talk about. At least, I have a lot to say."

"Then say it. I'm listening, and I want to hear everything you have to say." She pulled herself from his arms and stood up. She began pacing and tapping her finger against her chin. She was adorable, but he knew now wasn't the time to tell her.

"Well, for starters, you left me. That hurt like hell, Adrien. I spent a week in bed staring at my phone, just hoping you'd call me. Why didn't I hear from you for a week?" She stopped her pacing long enough to look at him. She was waiting on an answer.

"To be perfectly honest, I was completely trashed for most of it. I realized what an idiot I was the minute you walked out my door, but I was too proud to run after you like I should have. Then I started drinking, and didn't stop until I had to go into work for that interview. Doesn't it seem like fate, though? That you of all people would be doing that interview? It could have been anyone, but I feel like fate was pushing us back together." He truly did believe that. It seemed that at every turn, fate was reminding him that Marinette was the one for him. He couldn't ignore such loud, flashing signs in his face.

"Maybe, but that doesn't explain why it had to happen in the first place. I know you said you thought you were protecting me, but you have to know I put myself in danger every time I put on that Ladybug suit. You can't protect me any more than I can protect you. Why did you run away really?" She'd called him on his bullshit, and he had to be honest with her. He owed her that much.

"Well, you could have been hurt, that's true, but when you had to basically save me, I realized then that I couldn't give you what you needed. I thought you'd be better off without me. You seem so much more capable than me. Most of the time I feel like I'm the one who needs you, but that you'd be perfectly fine without me. I didn't want to hold you back anymore." When he finished, he blew out a breath. It was the first time he'd said the words out loud, and they felt heavier hanging out in the air.

"Adrien, that couldn't be further from the truth. I DO need you. I wouldn't have been with you if I didn't. You mean so much to me, and I thought I meant nothing to you. That completely crushed me." He knew he'd hurt her, but hearing the words come from her own mouth made him feel even guiltier. He'd done her wrong, and he was going to try like hell to make it right.

"I'm so sorry for hurting you. I don't think I could ever say sorry enough. No words will ever express just how badly I feel about how I handled things. I swear to you, baby, I swear, I will never walk away from you again if you give me the chance to make it up to you." She seemed to be thinking it over in her head a moment before she glanced at him again.

"You promise you won't run away when things get hard?"

"Aren't things already kind of difficult now thanks to my father? Yet here I am, begging you to take me back."

Marinette had to admit that he had a point. She hated that he was right, because that reminded her that her relationship with Adrien would come with severe consequences. Ones that would upend her life. She had to choose between Adrien and her job when it came down to it, and she wasn't very happy about it. Why couldn't Mr. Agreste just leave them alone? They were adults and their lives should be their own.

"Maybe so, but there's the matter of how to handle him to concern ourselves with. What do we do about your father?" She chewed her lip thoughtfully. There had to be something she could do to have what she wanted without losing anything in the process.

"Does this mean you're considering taking me back then?" She saw hope in his bright green eyes, and she knew then that she couldn't deny either one of them any longer. Her anger had burned out as quickly as it came.

"I love you, Adrien. I always have. I was so furious with you for leaving me so easily, but I can never stay mad at you. When I wasn't angry, I was so distraught. It was hard for me to imagine a life without you in it. You'd become so much to me, you'd become everything to me. I didn't know how I was supposed to move on, but I tried. But, I don't think there will ever be a way I could move past you. You consume me completely, and I need you. I just need you to swear to me that when things get tough, you'll stay by my side and fight for this. Because I have a feeling things are about to get extremely difficult." She had started pacing again and hadn't realized it until Adrien stood before her, blocking her path. She looked up at him, and he took her into his arms.

"I promise I'll fight for you, for us. There's no way in hell I'm ever letting you go again, little ladybug." He hugged her tightly to there she was nearly gasping for air, and kissed her forehead. She smiled in spite of being hugged to death, but her smile was short lived. There was the matter of Gabriel to contend with. She trusted Adrien to handle it, though. His father was ruthless, but he still occasionally gave Adrien what he wanted. Her one hope in this is that this would be one of those times. She pulled back to look at him, and felt desire churn through her. It had been so long since she'd had him. She grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him down to meet her mouth, and he met her head on with enthusiasm. She ran her fingers through his hair and gripped onto it as if he would float away if she let go. His arms wrapped around her waist, and traveled upwards, dragging her shirt along with them. They broke apart long enough for him to lift her shirt over her head, then their mouths clashed once more. Fumbling momentarily with the clasp on her bra, he ripped it from her body and threw it across the room. This wouldn't be gentle or loving, this was going to be desperate and full of longing. She helped him remove his shirt, and his fingers found the waistband of her pants, pulling them down along with her panties. She stood before him wearing nothing but her desire for him. When he'd shed himself of his own pants, he slid his hands down to her butt and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around him as he pressed her back against the wall. "Ready, baby?" She nodded immediately, and he entered her with one hard thrust.

Adrien held her close as she slept. She looked peaceful and angelic, and he wondered how she'd been sleeping this last week and a half. He'd slept like shit in his empty, lonely bed, wanting nothing more than to have her next to him. Now that she was here in his arms, he found it difficult to sleep, but for an entirely different reason. He was afraid that if he went to sleep then he'd wake in his own bed to find that this was all a dream. It was enough that she'd forgiven him for being a complete dumbass, but he wanted to take all she had to offer. He wanted there to be no doubt in her mind that he loved her and cherished her above all else. He started thinking about that weekend away, and decided to ask her if she was still up for it the next morning. A weekend away might do them both some good, but first, he had his father to deal with. His father had controlled nearly every aspect of his life up to this point, but he'd be damned if he meddled in this one area of his life. He would make sure his father knew damn well that Marinette was off limits. The rage he felt at knowing his father had let himself into her home, the place where she should feel most safe, spilled over until he was seeing red. He had crossed a major boundary, and Adrien wouldn't soon let him forget it. He'd be going first thing in the morning to talk to him, and he'd make him listen. No longer able to keep his eyes open, Adrien looked down at Marinette as she sighed happily in her sleep, and closed his heavy eyes. The next morning he woke, and she was no longer in the bed next to him. Panic seized him before he'd heard the shower running and knew she was still here. He didn't want her to leave without saying goodbye. When she came into her room in nothing more than a towel, it took everything in him not to drag her back into bed.

"Good morning," she offered. She looked refreshed and happy. He loved seeing her happy. He'd give her the entire world if it meant she looked at him like that more often.

"Morning, little ladybug." He rolled from the bed and didn't miss that her eyes traveled over his body before she dropped her towel to begin dressing. It was his turn to look her over, and he felt himself growing rigid. He coughed and went into the living room to fetch his clothes. She'd be leaving for work soon, and he had business to attend to. When he was clothed once more, she came out into the living room and passed into the kitchen to pour coffee into a travel mug.

"I've gotta go, but you can make yourself at home. You know where the key is, so just lock up when you leave." She came over to give him a big kiss that rocked him back on his heels.

"I actually have some things to take care of this morning, so I'll just leave with you." She nodded and moved towards the door. He checked to make sure he had everything before leaving the house behind her. "I can drop you off at work. It's on my way." She looked relieved and climbed into his passenger seat. Plagg and Tikki chatted in the bag seat excitedly, and he smiled at them in the rearview mirror. After he dropped her off with one last searing kiss, he drove in the direction of his father's building.

"Adrien, what are you doing here?" Nathalie stood up from her desk. "Your father is on a conference call right now and can't see you." Adrien just strode past her and threw open the doors of his father's office. His father looked up, not seeming surprised by his intrusion.

"Gentlemen, we'll have to continue this call at a later date. Something has come up." Gabriel ended the call and steepled his fingers before him. "Please, take a seat, Adrien."

"No need, I'm going to make this very short. Stay the fuck away from Marinette. She has nothing to do with any of this. I don't appreciate you threatening the woman I love for your own personal gain." He let all this fury come forth into his rant, and he was breathing heavily by the time he finished.

"You do understand I could destroy her career with a snap of my fingers. If she gets in the way, I'll do just that." Adrien glared at his father in contempt. There was no low he wouldn't stoop to.

"If you ever do that, if you ever threaten her again, you can rest assured I definitely won't be taking over for you." Mr. Agreste seemed to be thinking for a moment before responding. Long minutes stretched by before he finally spoke again.

"I'll cut you a deal. I'll leave Ms. Dupain-Cheng alone on one condition. You come work for me three days a week. You take it seriously, and put forth an effort. And then, only then, will I back off." Adrien couldn't believe the amount of manipulation. It was the only way to protect Marinette, though, so he knew he was going to accept his father's offer.

"Fine. I'll be here tomorrow." He went to walk from the room, then turned back one last time. "Leave her alone. I mean it." He strode from the room, letting the door slam behind him.

Marinette bit her lip in concentration as she fit together the article for Velour's young model piece. It took everything in her to stay focused on her work. She was expecting Ms. Valencia to call her into her office and fire her at any moment. Her phone vibrated with a message, and she pulled it up to read it.

Adrien: It'll all work out. You don't have to worry about my father anymore. Love you, little ladybug.

Marinette stared down at her phone, thoughts racing. What had Adrien done to make this happen? She hoped it hadn't been too difficult. He already had enough on his plate as far as his father was concerned. She stowed her phone in her bag, and attempted to get back to work. When the end of the day arrived, she had managed to get a good bit done, and was feeling proud of herself. She gathered her things and rode the elevator down to the first floor, crammed in like sardines with the rest of her coworkers. When she finally stepped off and left through the front doors, she realized she'd once again left her gloves at home. She hadn't needed them this morning because Adrien had driven her to work. She bit out a curse and shoved her hands into her pockets before turning right to head home.

"Need a ride, beautiful?" She turned on her heel to see Adrien parked at the curb, leaning against his car. She smiled widely and rushed over to him. He took her into his arms and planted a sweet kiss against her lips. "If I knew you were going to be this happy to see me I would have made an effort to pick you up from work more often."

"Thanks for coming. You didn't have to come pick me up." The tip of her nose was already feeling cold in the brutal weather.

"Well, I wanted to. Let's get you in the car. It's freezing out here." He held her door open as she climbed in, and she was happy to discover that it was nice and warm inside. She watched Adrien walk around the front of the car and get inside behind the wheel. "How would you feel about staying at my place tonight?"

"That's fine. I just need to go home and grab a few things first." He nodded and drove off towards her house. When they finally made it back to his house, they were barely in the door before he pounced on her. This time he was slow and sensual, taking his time caressing every inch of her body. While they lay in bed, legs intertwined as they lay next to each other, Marinette stared up at the ceiling, feeling as if she were glowing. Then she remembered his text from earlier today, and knew now was as good a time as any to bring it up.

"Hey, so, how did you get your dad to back off?" Her voice was quieter than she'd intended, and she stifled an incoming yawn.

"I just had to agree to be more active in the company. It's no big deal. This way everyone gets what they want, and no one gets hurt." His voice was filled with some emotion Marinette couldn't quite decipher, and she immediately began feeling regretful. He was doing something he never wanted to do just to protect her.

"You don't have to do that, Adrien. I know you don't want anything to do with your father's work." She felt horribly that he went to this extent to make sure nothing would happen to her.

"No, it's okay. It's worth it. You're worth it. It's only three days a week anyway." Then, a thought hit Marinette. He loved her so much he was willing to work a job he was going to be miserable in just to take care of her. Her heart swelled with emotion as she turned her head to look at him. He really was a great guy, and she knew she was lucky to have him. Their relationship had been tumultuous and insanely fast-paced, but she was sure she wouldn't have traded any of it for anything. She loved him, even when things weren't easy. "What are you thinking about?"

"Just how much I love you." She decided to be mostly honest. He looked at her and smiled, his pearly white teeth glowing in the light of the moon.

"I love you too, Marinette. More than I could ever say." They lay there in the quiet, still entangled in each other, and they both slid into a deep sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Sunday morning Marinette and Adrien sat at her kitchen table like they always did. Marinette almost found it funny how things never changed even when everything changed. She'd spent last night having dinner with her parents, and she'd missed Adrien the entire time. They had time to catch up on, and she didn't want to waste a second. She watched him as he puttered about her kitchen making another cup of coffee. He moved like a cat, and she was still in disbelief that she hadn't noticed it earlier than she did. It seemed like ages ago that they'd found out about each other when in reality, it'd only been a few weeks. A few long, insane weeks. It seemed like something was always happening, and Marinette longed for a simpler time when they could just be together without any worries. It was truly all she wanted.

"So, what should we do today?" His voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she smiled at him as he took the seat across from her once more. She put a finger to her chin in thought.

"We could always take a picnic to the park. It'll be kind of cold, but I think it might still be nice." She waited hesitantly for his opinion.

"That sounds like a great plan. Let's go to the store and get whatever we'll need." They both stood up and went into her bedroom to find clothing, the ones from last night discarded around the room. Marinette's cheeks were suffused with pink when she took in the state of her bedroom. If Adrien noticed, he didn't say a thing. She hurried to dress and spent a few moments in the bathroom tying her hair up and freshening up before she was ready. Adrien waited for her in the living room, keys in his hand. They left for the store, and when they were almost there, Adrien let out a curse.

"What's wrong?" Marinette looked at him and was shocked to see how incredibly angry he was.

"I've noticed a black car that's been following us since we left your house. My father is having someone follow me. I assume to make sure I stick to my word." His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly until his knuckles turned white.

"But, I don't understand. He said we can be together as long as you come work for him sometimes. I don't see what the point is of having you followed." Adrien cast her a sidelong glance and sighed.

"I haven't been totally reliable in the past. I'm supposed to be there tomorrow morning, and I guess he just wants to make sure I'm not out partying and living it up when I'm supposed to play the part of pristine businessman in the morning." He made a sour face, but didn't continue. It seemed so unfair to her that Adrien was put into this position, and she wasn't sure how he did it. The night Mr. Agreste was in her home had scared the shit out of her. He was a powerful and intimidating man. How Adrien stood toe to toe with him was beyond her comprehension. "Let's just forget about it and try to enjoy our time together, okay?" He shot her a heart-stopping grin and let silence fall between them. Marinette wracked her brain trying to think of something to talk about.

"I'm working on that article that I interviewed you and all those other models for right now at work. I think it's coming along nicely. I feel kind of relieved and overwhelmed at the same time that Ms. Valencia is entrusting me with this. It's going to be kind of a big deal in our upcoming issue." She was stoked for the opportunity, but she wasn't kidding about being overwhelmed. It was a lot to take on, and her desk at work was a mess of notes and drafts. She had to believe in herself, though. She could do this, and she'd do it well.

"That's great, little ladybug. I'm proud of you. Really proud." He took her hand in his and placed a kiss across the back of her knuckles. The contact sent a ripple of electricity up her arm, straight to her heart. She loved Adrien. More than loved him. She was pretty sure she was IN love with him. That thought scared her. They had so much that saw to stand between them. His father, Chloe, their own insecurities and stupidity. They'd overcome it all, she was sure of it. They pulled into a parking space in front of the grocery store and stepped out into the biting wind. She couldn't believe how cold it had gotten already. She was dressed warmly, though, and felt protected against the bitter cold. Maybe a picnic on the cusp of winter wasn't the best idea she'd ever had, but Adrien seemed so enthused about it. They hurried into the store and began browsing and throwing snacks into their shopping cart. It didn't escape Marinette just how domestic grocery shopping with him felt.

"How about these?" She held up a box of indulgent chocolates, and his eyes lit up. She'd noticed long ago that he had an affinity for sweets. She threw the box into the cart, and they headed towards the check out. Adrien turned his head away when they caught sight of the magazine stand up front. She could tell that he didn't really like seeing himself splayed all over fashion magazine covers, though she knew he enjoyed his work. It still amazed her how humble he was in light of how he was raised and who his father was. She suppressed a shiver when she thought of Mr. Agreste making his way into her house as if he owned the place. It was an event she wouldn't soon forget.

Adrien slid items onto the conveyor belt quickly. The sooner he got away from those magazines, the better. It still felt awkward after all this time seeing himself everywhere. Magazines, billboards, posters. It was like looking into a mirror that was plastered across the city. He didn't want Marinette thinking differently about him because he was one of the most popular male models in Paris. Then a thought struck him. Would he be so popular if it weren't for his father? Was his success and feeling of pride in being able to provide for himself all just superficial because he'd gotten his start because of an unfair advantage? Shaking himself, he tried turning his attention back to Marinette and their date. He was bound and determined to enjoy the afternoon with her after everything that had been happening recently. Things could finally level back out, and he was going to take this chance to ask her to go away for the weekend with him. He'd pull some strings and help her get Friday off work so they could have a long weekend together. It sounded perfect. Just him, her, and the coast of France.

"Adrien, are you sure it isn't too cold for you? We can always just take this all back to my place or yours," she said as they climbed back into the car. The thought was tempting because there was a bed at close range, but she had seemed so excited about a picnic that he wasn't going to change their plans.

"No, I'm looking forward to a picnic. It feels normal, and normal is what we both need." She smiled at him lovingly, and took his hand in her much smaller one. He liked that she always seemed to want to touch him. They drove the short distance from the store to the park, and they unloaded the groceries and a blanket. The wind had died down some while they were in the store, so it wasn't quite at chilly out anymore, luckily. They found a spot in the sun and settled down. He sat right next to her so their thighs were touching, and he didn't miss the shiver that coursed through her. He loved that after all these weeks of pure turmoil and torture that he could still have this effect on her. They ate their snacks and joked around. He loved hearing her laugh, couldn't get enough of it. Then, she grew serious and he knew he wasn't going to like what came next.

"So, I almost hate to ask, but…why did you agree to work for your father if you hate his company that much? Please don't say you did it for me. I'll feel awful." He looked out across the park where people milled about before turning his attention back to her.

"I didn't do it for you. I did it for us. If my father had had his way, we wouldn't be together and he'd have all my attention. In a way, he still got what he wanted so he isn't going to bother you anymore. I only had two options, Marinette. Stay with you and you end up losing everything because of my father's connections, or lose you and let my father win. I found a safer, better third option that keeps everyone happy." He hoped she understood why he went the route he did. He wasn't going to lose her forever, even if it meant working for his father.

"I get it. I just wish there had been another way. I know the last thing you wanted was to work in that place. I'm sorry your father is so manipulative." She looked at him sadly and he cupped her face in his hands.

"Don't sweat it, baby. I'd do it all over again if it meant that I wouldn't have to tell you goodbye." Her eyes watered under his gaze, so he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. When she looked down into her lap, he began rubbing her back. "What is it?"

"I just…I feel like you're always making concessions for me, and I don't feel like I really bring anything to the table. I want that to change." Once again he took her face in his hands and turned her head so she was looking at him.

"That isn't true. I'm happy, truly happy, for the first time since my mom disappeared. You bring me happiness and joy, and that's more than I ever imagined I'd have. So, don't think so badly about your place in our relationship. Things are going to be good. We're going to be good. So please don't think so negatively, okay?" She nodded and gave him a small smile. "That's better. So, there's been something I've been meaning to ask you."

"What is it?" She looked at him in question, and he prepared himself to ask.

"About that weekend away. I'd like to go this weekend if you're still up for it." She seemed to be deep in thought for a moment before turning to him with a big smile.

"Let's do it. It might be just what we need." He grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm.

"I was thinking the same thing." He felt pure happiness in that moment. They'd been on one hell of a rollercoaster lately, and he was still kicking himself for even entertaining the idea of letting her go. She belonged by his side, and he'd never make that mistake again.

Marinette looked at Adrien from the corner of her eye as they drove back to her house. He'd been quiet, but so had she. She still couldn't wipe from her mind the feeling that she somehow didn't deserve him. He'd been good to her and had always come running when she needed him or when things were a mess, but she always backed away. She wasn't sure why, except that maybe she was just scared of the confrontation. She had never dealt well with it. She had to learn how, though. Otherwise, it could be the downfall of her relationship with Adrien, and she was done letting things get in the way. She wanted him, and only him. She'd fight like hell for him now even if she hadn't before. It was becoming increasingly clear to her that he was the one for her. This relationship got so deep so fast, but it still felt so right.

"I'll probably go home tonight. I have to be up pretty early tomorrow morning. Four in the morning." He said the last bit with disdain, and she winced. He was doing this because he believed in them that much. She'd believe in them just as much.

"Okay, I wish you could stay, but I get it. That's extremely early, and you live closer to your father's business anyway." He nodded and cut his eyes over to her as they pulled into her driveway. He smiled that devastating smile at her and put the car into park. They climbed out, and he walked her to the door.

"I love you, Marinette." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her forehead.

"I love you too, Adrien. So much," she whispered. Her heart ached with how much she loved him. She knew that if there were ever anymore problems between them that she'd face them head on instead of running away because she loved him too much to ever let him go again.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" She stood up on her toes and planted a searing kiss against his lips. He held her closer and slid his tongue between her lips. They stood like that for a moment, kissing deeply, before he let her go again.

"Tomorrow for sure." His grin split his face and he stepped back.

"Until tomorrow, little ladybug."

"Until tomorrow." She watched as he stepped from the porch and got back into his car, listening to the purr of the engine as he backed away and drove down the street. When she could no longer hear his car, she went back inside. It wasn't quite yet dinnertime, so she decided to put on some lounge clothes and binge watch some tv. She still couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't feel quite as safe in her home since Gabriel had intruded. She'd have to change her locks and maybe have a security system installed. Clearly it wasn't that difficult to break into her home. A knock at the door jolted her to attention. She looked through the peephole and saw Chloe standing there on her porch. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but she opened the door regardless. "Chloe? What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?" Marinette wasn't about to invite her in not knowing her intentions, so she stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind her.

"What could we possibly have to talk about?" She said the words without malice, but rather with general curiosity.

"Adrien." Marinette tensed. This was a sore subject as far as Chloe was concerned, and she wasn't sure she was going to like where this conversation could lead to.

"What about him?" Chloe looked at her with sadness in her eyes. It was the first time Marinette could admittedly say she saw a glimpse of humanity in her. Chloe drew in a deep breath and looked off into the distance.

"You win." That was all she said, and Marinette blinked a few times, unsure if she'd heard her correctly.

"What?"

"I said, you win. It's obvious that Adrien is in love with you. Even when you were split, you were still all he talked about. It was totally annoying. But anyway, you win. I give up. I've tried to make him notice me for years, but all he wants is you. This doesn't make us friends or anything, but I promise I'll back off. I won't be a problem in your relationship again." Marinette was dumbfounded. She never expected to hear those words.

"Wait, when were you with Adrien?" Those words stuck out like a sore thumb. Adrien had never mentioned hanging out with Chloe while they were broken up.

"I swung by his place one night. Don't be mad at him, I invited myself. He was completely shitfaced and only rambled about you the entire time before he basically told me I didn't have a chance." There was that sadness in her eyes again. Marinette almost felt sorry for her. Probably would have if they'd known each other under different circumstances.

"Well, thanks for saying those things, Chloe. It means a lot." Her voice was quiet, but she meant every word. It was like a weight was lifted off her knowing she wouldn't have to worry about Chloe butting in anymore.

"Yeah, it's whatever. I figured I owed you this at least. You know, I know I'm a bitch, but I'm not a horrible person. I know when to give up." With those as parting words, she left to climb into the back of a car waiting on her. Marinette stood there freezing on her porch as the car drove away. Never in her life would she have thought that conversation would happen. She felt like she could breathe a little easier, though. Walking back in, she crashed onto the couch and resumed her tv watching with a little smile on her face. It seemed like everything was really starting to look up again. Maybe the bad times were behind them for once.

Four a.m. came and Adrien crawled from bed. He couldn't remember the last time he was up this early. He had to be at work by six, but he needed some serious time to wake himself up. Plagg grumbled from where he sat on the couch, irritated that he'd been woken up so early.

"Shut up, I'm the one carrying the heavy load here. You just hang out in my bag and eat cheese all day. You can nap once we're on the road." Adrien felt cranky and discombobulated as he stumbled to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. He took it out onto the terrace and looked over the city. He had to admit that it looked beautiful at this time of day, even if he loathed that he was going to be crammed into an office building for the better part of his day. He didn't regret it, though. It meant his father would leave Marinette alone, and that's really all he wanted. He didn't want that part of his life touching her. He sighed down into his mug before walking back inside to shower and dress. When he walked through the doors of his father's empire, he could already feel exhaustion settling into his bones. Today was going to suck. He stepped off the elevator onto the top floor, and immediately saw Nathalie sitting at her desk.

"Adrien, good morning. Your father is waiting on you in his office." He nodded, and walked by her desk to throw open the doors of his father's office.

"Good to see you made it, Adrien. We have a meeting in an hour, but I have a few business calls to attend to before then. I want you here to listen in on them so you'll get the hang of how I operate things." Adrien barely suppressed an eyeroll.

"Good morning to you too, father. I've been great, thanks for asking." He might have stopped himself from rolling his eyes, but he couldn't mask the sarcasm in his voice. His father just stared him down with his steely eyes before clearing his throat.

"If you're done and would like to be serious, we have work to do." Adrien sighed and sunk down in a chair opposite his father and waited as he connected a call. He listened to them drone on and on about finances and upcoming galas where his father's work would be displayed. It was tear-inducingly boring, and he found his mind wandering. He imagined Marinette at her desk pouring over her article with her adorable little nose scrunched up in concentration. He never could seem to get her off his mind for more than a few minutes. "Adrien." He looked to his father who had stood up.

"Yes?"

"It's time for our first meeting." His looks was chastising. He knew that Adrien had been drifting during the phone calls. He followed his father from the office and they rode the elevator down a few floors to where the meeting was being held. They walked in and the men they were meeting were already there. Adrien blew out a breath and stepped forward to shake their hands as his father introduced him. He smiled and tried to look interested. The only way he was going to pull this thing off was to convince his father that he was serious about the work he'd be doing here. Otherwise, all bets were off. He needed to get his head in the game. He was surprised when the men at the table began talking sports and joking around. It didn't seem like something his father would approve of, and sure enough, when he looked at his father he saw his tight-lipped smile and knew that he was restraining himself. Clearly these men were important if he was delving in pleasantries in order to keep them here.

"So anyway, Gabriel. Shall we get this underway?" His father nodded, and they began talking numbers. It was apparent to him that these men owned stores that carried his father's works. No wonder he humored them. Without anywhere to send the merchandise, his work was virtually useless. Adrien smiled knowing that in some small way, someone had some control over his father. By the time the meeting wrapped up, Adrien was actually looking forward to seeing how the rest went. To see if his father's power was much different than perceived at first glance. Maybe working here would be more entertaining than he thought.

Marinette sat at her desk piecing together her article. She was nearly finished with it, and then all that would be left was to send it to her boss for a second opinion. She felt relief at being nearly done with it. She had put everything she had into this article. Sitting back and stretching, she decided it was time for a coffee break. She took her mug into the breakroom and poured some of the dark liquid in, stirring in some sugar. She leaned back against the counter and thought of Adrien. She wondered how he was faring. He had to be completely miserable, and she felt bad. This was no small undertaking on his part, and she knew it. He was making a sacrifice for their relationship, and she just hoped she could be someone worthy of that kind of sacrifice. She drew her eyebrows together in thought. She needed to do something nice for him. Something that showed her appreciation. Then, an idea struck her. She'd give him something he wouldn't soon forget, and she'd do it tonight. She hurried home after work to get everything set up and ready for when he came to her house. She didn't have much time because he'd likely be leaving soon himself to head there. She hopped in the shower to quickly wash away the day, and once she got dressed she went into her bedroom to wait on him. She sent him a quick message to let him know to just come in when he got there. Hopefully he'd like what she had in store.

Adrien pulled into Marinette's driveway and shut off the engine. He sat there for a minute and scrubbed his hands down his face. It was a hell of a day. One meeting after another. One call after another. He knew for sure then that there was no way he was taking over for his father. He'd never make it doing that kind of work for the rest of his life. All he wanted now was to go in to Marinette and hug her tightly. He climbed out of the car and walked up onto her porch, entering the house as she'd instructed. He was immediately shocked. Candles burned on every surface as he walked through the house. It looked romantic and the ambience was nice. He looked around as he walked further into the house. He could see a crack in her bedroom door and made a beeline for it when he didn't find her in the living room. He pushed the door open, and what he saw made his jaw drop. She was there in the middle of the bed, dressed in lacy red lingerie, just waiting for him. He dropped his bag by the door and slowly made his way over to her. Their eyes locked, and her light blue eyes danced in the flames of the candles that surrounded them. The vanilla scent permeating the air making this an even sweeter sight.

"Baby," he whispered. "What have you been up to?" His tone was teasing and light.

"Waiting on you to get home." A sly smile spread across her face as he grabbed onto her ankles and drug her to the end of the bed so that he was standing between her legs.

"Why did you go to all this trouble? I would have been happy just seeing you."

"Because, Adrien, I don't have much to offer you, but I can offer you myself. I can give you me, all of me. I'm sorry for how things have been, and I want them to be better. I want us to be better. If that means I get to make up for all of it somehow, then I want to do it. I love you, and I want you. I don't want this to go away." He looked down at her and rubbed his thumb along her bottom lip, wanting to taste it.

"We've both done stupid things in this relationship, but I think it's time we move past all of that and just get to the part where we're blissfully happy. Though, I could get used to this." He smiled and looked down at her body covered in skimpy lace. He saw her cheeks flame, and found it the most beautiful, adorable sight he'd ever seen. He loosened his tie and she sat forward to help him out of his clothes. They were unhurried, knowing tonight was special. It was like starting all over again. A reset button that they desperately needed. Once he was in nothing but his boxers, he crawled onto the bed next to her and pulled her close. They kissed, feeling the emotion coming from them both in that one kiss. When he moved to peel off her lingerie, he did it with calculated precision. It was like unwrapping a gift meant only for him. He kissed along her skin as he went, feeling her shudder beneath him. When she lay before him naked, he sat back and looked down at her. She was absolutely perfect in every way. There wasn't an inch of her that he didn't love with all his heart. He peeled his boxers off and hovered over her. "I want you to know, I love you with all I am, Marinette. I love you so much, and I'd do anything in this world for you."

"I love you, too. I'm glad we're moving forward. I couldn't bear losing you again." He kissed her lips gently, and leaned forward with his hips.

"You never have to worry about that again, little ladybug." He surged forward until he entered her, then made love to her all night.

After what seemed like hours, Marinette lay there awake next to a sleeping Adrien. She looked at him and smiled. Tonight had felt like a dream, one she didn't want to wake from. He was so perfect for her that it was unreal. They had so much binding them to one another. Things like that didn't happen on accident. She crept from the bed to blow out the candles that hadn't burnt out on their own yet, then returned to bed. As soon as she slipped in, his arm came around her and pulled her against his chest. She could get used to sleeping like this. She snuggled closer into him and closed her eyes. Yes, she would definitely fight like hell for him, and she'd never let a day go by where he didn't know just how much she loved him. He deserved that, and so much more. She slowly fell asleep to the soft sounds of his breathing in her ear and dreamt of him all night long.


	22. Chapter 22

I just started classes back up again, so I probably won't be able to write and post as often. I'm really going to try to write as much as I can in my free time, but idk how much time I'm actually going to have. This semester is hard and busy for me.

Days passed and when Friday finally arrived, Marinette found herself sitting in Ms. Valencia's office. The woman stared her down before speaking.

"Why are you here?" Marinette looked at her in confusion.

"Um, because I work here?" She said it as an unsure question, and to her surprise, her boss threw her head back and laughed.

"No, I meant why are you here today? Adrien gave me a call and I approved you to have the day off. Did he not tell you?" Marinette just stared in shock. She should probably be irritated that he used his connections to get her out of work, but she only felt appreciation and love. He was so excited about this weekend away.

"Right, I totally forgot," she lied. "I'll just grab my things and leave then. I did want to turn in the article, though. It's finally finished. I'll email it to you before I leave." Her boss nodded then shooed her from her office. Marinette hurried to her desk to email the file containing the article, and gathered up her things. She wondered why Adrien hadn't told her that he'd gotten her off work today. She wouldn't have bothered coming in if he had. As she stepped onto the elevator she felt pure excitement coursing through her veins. An entire weekend away from Paris. Just her and Adrien. Then a thought struck her. What if Hawk Moth tried something while they were gone? What would the city do then? She shook herself and put on a smile. No, nothing would happen, and they would enjoy their weekend away. It was what they both needed. She stepped from the elevator and clutched her coat as she stepped out into the brisk air.

"Excuse me ma'am. You look like you need a ride home." She whirled around to find Adrien leaning up against the façade of her office building. His cheeks were rosy and flushed in the chill, and she wondered how long he'd been standing there.

"Adrien! Why didn't you tell me you talked my boss into giving me the day off," she asked as she approached him.

"I wanted to surprise you." His goofy grin had her smiling brightly, and he grasped her elbow to lead her to where his car was parked. Once he bundled her inside, he ran around and got in himself. He looked over at her, and she took him in. His hair was windswept, his lips slightly wind-chapped. His cheeks were still red, and his eyes looked bright and playful. This was the Adrien she always wanted to remember. "We'll swing by your place so you can change clothes, then we'll head out. Sound good to you?"

"Sounds perfect," she replied. Once she was in her bedroom, she pulled out a warm sweater and some comfortable pants. It would be cold on the coast, but this trip wasn't so much about enjoying the beach as it was them having time away from everything. She just wanted him alone, far from their problems that waited for them at home. For a few days at least, she could forget about everything. She grabbed her small suitcase before leaving the room. She had already packed the night before, wanting to be ready for when they left for their trip. Now, with this surprise, she was glad she'd packed early.

"Ready to go, little ladybug?" She nodded enthusiastically, and they left her house. She locked the door and stowed her suitcase in his trunk before getting back into the passenger seat. She looked over at him once she got settled in and he smiled. She was feeling excitement bang around in her chest. It would be a few days of just to two of them, and she almost wasn't sure how to handle it. They began their drive, weaving in and out of traffic to get onto the highway that would lead them to the coast. Marinette chattered away excitedly and she caught Adrien chuckle.

"What's so funny," she pouted. She couldn't figure out why he'd be laughing at her.

"You're just so adorable when you're excited. Does this weekend away really mean that much to you?" She turned in her seat to face him before answering.

"It means everything to me, Adrien. That you'd even think of doing this for me, for us, means everything." Warmth filled his eyes as he glanced over at her. She could tell he was as excited as she was, but he had a better reign on it than she did.

Adrien listened to Marinette go on and on about all the things they'd do while on the coast. It would be too cold for playing in the ocean, but there was so much the coast had to offer and he was thrilled to be able to share it with her. They drove down the highway, and he cranked up the radio when she had finished talking. They sang along, badly and off-key, but they were having a great time. It was already a perfect vacation, and they hadn't even reached their destination. Everything was running smoothly, until he got a call that ruined everything. He turned the radio down and pressed the green button to accept the call.

"Father," he said coldly. It was never a good thing when his father called.

"Adrien, where are you. I sent Nathalie for you, but you weren't home." Adrien sighed into the phone before answering.

"I'm not in Paris right now, father. I'll see you on Monday." He could feel his father's irritation through the phone.

"I need you here. Now. We have a lot of work to do if we're going to impress our clients on Monday morning." Adrien was beginning to feel irritation of his own building up. He agreed to three days working for his father, and now his father was trying to suck up all his time. He had to put a stop to it before it got out of hand.

"Okay, well I'm sorry, but you're going to have to handle it. The agreement was that I'd work three days a week for you, and I've already fulfilled my quota for the week. I'm not in the city right now, and I have no intention of being there. Goodbye father." He hung up the phone and saw Marinette's look of concern. "Nothing to be worried about." She nodded, but didn't look convinced, so he smiled and grabbed her hand in his. He ignored his phone when it began ringing once more, and turned the radio up to drown it out. They got to the coast right after lunchtime, and they were both starving. They unloaded their bags and stepped into the little cottage on the beach that he'd rented out for them for the weekend.

"This place is beautiful, Adrien," Marinette said, twirling around in circles to take everything in. It was a cute little place with a homey feel to it, not unlike her place. He'd chosen it carefully when looking at places to rent.

"I'm glad you like it." He stood in the center of the living room watching her clear blue eyes looking at everything in wonder. This was the exact reaction he'd been hoping for. They migrated to the bedroom to put their bags down. When she'd set her bag on the floor on one side of the bed, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Why don't we go get some food at the little café we passed coming in?"

"That sounds excellent! I could eat just about anything right now," she replied. She seemed more relaxed far away from their problems. He wondered if there were still things bothering her about their relationship. If there was anything still getting in the way.

"Then let's go." He grabbed her hand and led her from the house to the car. When they were on their way to the café, she turned to look out the window, seeming deep in thought. He didn't want to break her from her thoughts so he kept quiet and focused on driving. He knew better than to get so lost in his own thoughts that he wasn't paying attention to the road now. They pulled up to the café and went inside. It was nice and warm and was decorated to have that coastal feel that all the places around here likely had. They took a seat and waited to be served.

"So, there's something I've been meaning to tell you." He looked up from the menu and closed it, giving her his full attention. "Chloe came by my house." His eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"What did she do? Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Totally fine. She came to basically tell me she'd back off. She told me that she came by your place when we were broken up and that you told her you still loved me. I think she's still hurting, but I think she finally gets it." He looked more surprised than he had before. He knew it had probably taken a lot for Chloe to show up and admit all of that to Marinette.

"You aren't mad at me for not telling you she came by, are you?" He winced when he thought of how it might seem like he'd kept it from her. In reality, it had just slipped his mind because he'd been so focused on the fact that he and Marinette were back together again. He was so enamored with her, and he didn't even think to tell her.

"No, Adrien, I'm not." He breathed a sigh of relief. "I wish you'd told me, but I'm not mad. I know nothing happened."

"That's a relief. I meant to tell you but then time passed, and it didn't seem as important anymore." She nodded as if understanding what he meant. He took her hand across the table and rubbed his thumb along her knuckles. "I'm kind of glad she came to talk to you. That whole situation needed to be laid to rest once and for all."

"I agree. It certainly makes me rest easier knowing she won't interfere anymore. I'm tired of things getting in the way of our relationship." She chewed her lip, and he knew something was still on her mind.

"Is anything else bothering you?" She looked up and opened her mouth, then closed it again. "It's okay, you can tell me." She sighed and gripped his hand tighter.

"Your father. I know you said he wouldn't cause problems as long as you worked for him, but that call earlier…" He tensed up because he knew she was right. It was very possible that he could meddle in things now. He surely would be pissed that Adrien had hung up on him. He smiled so she wouldn't see concern on his face. He'd fix it all when they got back home on Sunday.

"Don't worry about it. I can handle the old man." She seemed to relax some, and soon their waiter came by to take their orders. They waited for their food to arrive as they talked some about the article Marinette had finished up before heading out. She was still waiting for an email from her boss to let her know how she liked the article. He hated it for Marinette that her talents were being wasted on writing for a fashion magazine. She should be designing things and displaying her work for the world to see. He had seen the sketchbooks lying about her house and knew she was still coming up with ideas. Then, and idea came to mind. He was a model. He had access to designers and maybe, just maybe, he could help her get her foot in the door. He'd show some of her designs to one of the designers and see if they had a place for Marinette. He could do that much at least.

"What are you thinking about over there?" He looked up to see Marinette regarding him with curiosity.

"So, I have an idea, but I'm not sure how you're going to feel about it." She suddenly looked uneasy, so he was quick to quell her fears. "It's nothing bad, I promise."

"Go on."

"What would you say to me showing some of your work to some designers I work with and see if they can bring you on board? You're wasting your talent working for that magazine. You deserve to be doing what you love." Her features softened, but she began shaking her head.

"I can't ask you to do that for me, Adrien. You've already done so much for me." He just smiled at her and rolled his eyes playfully.

"I still want to do this for you. If you worked with a designer, my father wouldn't have any leverage over you." This seemed to pique her interest because she leaned forward, listening intently. "I could get you as far from my father's grasp as possible. He's powerful, but he doesn't have everyone in his back pocket. Some designers I work with absolutely loathe him."

"If they don't like him, isn't it safe to say they wouldn't care too much about doing a favor for his son?"

"That's the thing. Everyone in my world knows how rocky my relationship is with my father. They'd love a chance to stick it to him by doing me a favor. The worst that could happen is that someone would say no. Take this chance, Marinette. You deserve it."

Marinette thought it over for a few moments before looking at Adrien. She could see in his eyes that he just wanted to help her do what she loved. She knew she was wasting her life at Velour, but her boss had also been very good to her. She mulled it over some more before turning back to Adrien.

"Okay, do it. I need to take a chance." A big smile split his face, and she found herself smiling back. Their food arrived then, and soon they were too enraptured with eating that they didn't speak for a while. They both seemed to be lost in thought. Marinette looked at Adrien and felt love well in her. She was incredibly lucky to have him. Not everyone had an Adrien in their life. When he caught her staring he looked at her and winked.

"What's going through that pretty head of yours?" She leaned forward so she could speak softly.

"Just about how lucky I am. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Adrien. I don't want anything to ruin that anymore." He nodded as if in understanding, and took her hands in his.

"I feel the same way, little ladybug. Nothing's going to get in the way anymore." She certainly hoped he was right. They'd already been through years of drama in the first few weeks of their relationship. It was time for things to settle down already. They ate and talked for a while before deciding to head back to the cottage. They were both tired from the drive and decided to spend today lazing around together. When they got back, Marinette decided to shower and headed into the bathroom. She was under the spray of the water, wetting her hair, when the curtain opened and Adrien stepped in. She smiled, and pulled him closer.

"Adrien," she whispered, and he caught her mouth with his own. They stood there under the water for the longest time, just holding each other and kissing. Then, Adrien reached for the soap and began washing Marinette with his hands, taking his time covering every inch of her body. He lingered over her most sensitive areas, eliciting gasps and little noises from her. She felt like her body was on fire. By the time he finished, she was panting, wanting more. She reached out for the soap with shaking hands, determined to do the same for him. She lathered up her hands and ran them over his shoulders and down his chest, down further over his abs. Every piece of his body was like a work of art. She was just starting to drift lower when she felt his hands in her wet hair, and she smiled. She was having an effect on him, too.

"You're killing me," he said softly, grunting when she finally rested her hand between his legs. She looked up at him with a smile, feeling just how excited he was. His answering smile wasn't a playful one, but one with promise. She knew she was in for it as soon as she finished washing him. When she had covered every inch of him in soap, she pushed him under the spray to wash it all off, and he looked at her with a fire in his eyes that had her legs quaking. It didn't matter how many times she'd had him, she still felt that nervous energy every time beforehand. It was as if she were still adjusting to the fact that Adrien was hers. He suddenly backed her up against the wall of the shower and put a hand on either side of her head. She looked up at him and saw desire clouding his eyes. "I'm going to lift you now. Put your legs around my waist." She nodded as he lifted her, and she did as he told her to. His mouth found hers once more, and his tongue danced along hers as he moved against her.

"Do you think things can really be normal," she asked as they lie in bed, wrapped up in one another. After he'd taken her in the shower, they'd migrated to the bed when the water had grown cold. She felt fully loved and totally exhausted.

"I do. We have to think that or else we'll feel hopeless. And feeling hopeless is the last thing I want to feel when I think of you." She turned her head to look at him, and found his eyes. She didn't know how he was always so positive in the face of everything. Sometimes she struggled with feeling positive, but she knew she'd try because her relationship with Adrien was everything good in her life. She didn't want to ruin it by being unsure of what their future held.

"I want things to be normal. I'm tired of everything going wrong." They both fell silent after that, and easy agreement falling between them. Marinette closed her eyes, feeling the exhaustion of the day settling into her bones. She smiled as she fell asleep, knowing that Adrien would be by her side when she woke.

Adrien looked down at Marinette as she slept. There'd been a permanent crease in her forehead lately, but in sleep her features were relaxed and she looked so peaceful. He hated that she was afraid of something happening again, but couldn't blame her. They'd been through a lot in a short amount of time, and it was easy to assume that something else would come along to drive a wedge between them. He slowly untangled their limbs and drifted from the bed. Grabbing his phone, he walked out into the cottage's small living room and checked his messages. He had five voicemails from his father, and he sighed in annoyance. Lifting his phone to his ear, he played the first message.

"Adrien, this is your father. Never hang up on me again or I'll make sure you regret it. I need you back here immediately. We have a lot to do in a short amount of time. Don't make me make your girlfriend's life more difficult than need be. That isn't a threat, it's a promise." The voicemail ended and Adrien clutched his phone in anger. They'd had a deal, and his father was threatening to go back on that deal just to rope him into the business even more. It was pertinent that he help Marinette get in with a designer where his father couldn't touch her now more than ever. If she lost her job because of him, his father, he'd feel like the worst person in the world. It wouldn't be his fault, of course, but he'd still feel responsible for his father's doing. It was his job to protect her, and his father was threatening that. He listened to the rest of the voicemails, growing more pissed with each one. They were all similar, full of threats and promises to do damage to the person he cared for the most. His father knew what Marinette meant to him, and he was trying to hit him where it hurt. It was working, much to his dismay. He had no other choice but to play along until he could get Marinette out from under his father's thumb. He still wasn't going to cut their weekend short, and he'd let his father know that in the morning. For now, he was going to go hold her close, and try to sleep. It was all he could do for the moment while he worked out a plan to put a stop to his father's incessant need to control him. He went back into the bedroom and looked at her lying there, sleeping without a care in the world. His need to protect her grew stronger as he watched her chest rise and fall softly. Yes, he'd formulate a plan, and take his father down a few notches. For now, he'd enjoy this weekend, returning to Paris with a fresh mind. He climbed back into the bed and pulled her against him. Her hair was still damp from their shower, and she smelled like flowers. He closed his eyes, breathing her in, and fell asleep molded to her body like she was his lifeline.


End file.
